gray area
noun
: an area or situation in which it is difficult to judge what is right and what is wrong
There are no gray areas in the rules.
a legal gray area
Examples of gray area in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In other states, a legal gray area remains.
—
Karlee Provenza, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Notably absent from the training is guidance on how doctors should care for patients with chronic conditions, a gray area that has come up again and again in ProPublica’s reporting.
—Cassandra Jaramillo, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
As someone who carries volume through my midsection, shopping for jeans always proves challenging—especially since my size falls into a gray area between what the fashion industry deems small and plus.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 9 Feb. 2026
The deeper damage came from the home sale, which fell into a legal gray area far beyond a typical fraud report.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gray area
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Karlee Provenza, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Notably absent from the training is guidance on how doctors should care for patients with chronic conditions, a gray area that has come up again and again in ProPublica’s reporting.
—Cassandra Jaramillo, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
As someone who carries volume through my midsection, shopping for jeans always proves challenging—especially since my size falls into a gray area between what the fashion industry deems small and plus.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 9 Feb. 2026
The deeper damage came from the home sale, which fell into a legal gray area far beyond a typical fraud report.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gray area
Cite this Entry
“Gray area.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gray%20area. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
