vague

adjective

ˈvāg How to pronounce vague (audio)
Definition of vaguenext
1
as in unclear
not expressed in precise terms gave as vague a reply as he could, hoping not to give away the surprise

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hazy
not seen or understood clearly I have only a vague idea of what you're talking about

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word vague different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of vague are ambiguous, cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, and obscure. While all these words mean "not clearly understandable," vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration.

a vague sense of obligation

When could ambiguous be used to replace vague?

Although the words ambiguous and vague have much in common, ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation.

an ambiguous directive

When would cryptic be a good substitute for vague?

While in some cases nearly identical to vague, cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning.

cryptic hints of hidden treasure

Where would dark be a reasonable alternative to vague?

The synonyms dark and vague are sometimes interchangeable, but dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion.

muttered dark hints of revenge

In what contexts can enigmatic take the place of vague?

The words enigmatic and vague are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality.

enigmatic occult writings

When might equivocal be a better fit than vague?

While the synonyms equivocal and vague are close in meaning, equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.

moral precepts with equivocal phrasing

When can obscure be used instead of vague?

The words obscure and vague can be used in similar contexts, but obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge.

obscure poems

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of vague Compare the look of the Notification Center in iOS 26 and macOS 26—the iOS 26 bubbles really do have the appearance of thin sheets of lightly frosted glass, where the macOS bubbles just give you the vaguest impression of what's lying underneath them. —ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025 Besides being less than a third the base price of the Venture S, and well less than the vague range estimate Bürstner's first Signature preview left swimming around in my head, that €77K price is only €4,000 more than the Habiton Bürstner also debuted at the 2025 Caravan Salon. —New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2025 Critics have warned that the new House GOP bill's vague language could leave open the possibility of similar cases for American citizens who are seeking to obtain or already have a passport. —Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025 Meg wondered in the rather vague way that car drivers do about non-drivers. —Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vague
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vague
  1. unclear
  2. hazy
  3. ambiguous
  4. faint
  5. fuzzy
  6. pale
  7. murky
  8. obscure
Adjective
  • The purpose of the dome remains unclear, though scientists have suggested pachycephalosaurs may have used them to butt heads in combat or to impress potential mates.
    — Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2025
  • His precise motive remains unclear.
    — Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of unclear
Adjective
  • Rat Saw God than an extension of its hazy Southern world-building, Bleeds is Wednesday at their best—again.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Inside, police investigator Michael Ely found the interior hazy with smoke, and no one was present in the home except for the family dog, Oakley.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of hazy
Adjective
  • Leaving out any vital details or stating the requirements in ambiguous ways is going to undermine the result.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Obviously this wasn’t the best call, regardless of the somewhat ambiguous state of Belly and Jeremiah’s relationship at the time.
    — Olivia Petter, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • Subways send a low rumble through the pavement, traffic makes overpasses quiver, and footsteps create faint ripples in the floor.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
  • For objects like star clusters, a longer imaging time gives you the chance to resolve fainter stars.
    — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • Ahead, find their must-have picks like metallic sneakers, riding boots, penny loafers, and fuzzy clogs, from brands including Steve Madden, Cole Haan, and Sam Edelman.
    — Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
  • During a partial solar eclipse, the umbra misses Earth, with only the penumbra — the moon's outer, fuzzier and lighter shadow — striking Earth.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of fuzzy
Adjective
  • With pale, irregular surfaces dotted with black bits of char, the homely slabs aren’t much to look at, but the first bite packs a big smoky punch that only grows with each subsequent chew.
    — Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Create a neutral fall display by grouping elegant white and pale-orange pumpkins.
    — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of pale
Adjective
  • Despite being a high-resolution display, the icons weren’t always clear when contrasted with my real-world field of view, causing the letters to appear a bit murky.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
  • The law surrounding public university employees' speech rights is murkier, as the schools receive federal tax dollars.
    — Cate Charron, IndyStar, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of murky
Adjective
  • Sunway was transformed by Jeffrey Cheah from an obscure tin-mining company over the five decades into one of Malaysia’s biggest conglomerates with interests in construction, education, healthcare, infrastructure and real estate.
    — Jonathan Burgos, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Robinson also explained the obscure engravings found on bullet casings that were left behind at the scene.
    — Connor Greene, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of obscure

Browse Nearby Words

vagrants
vague
vaguely
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vague.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vague. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on vague

Nglish: Translation of vague for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Putting Adjectives in the Right Order

A Guide to Using Semicolons
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

Color Words to Describe Autumn Leaves

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

And So It Begins: 9 Words for Beginnings

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

Color Words to Describe Autumn Leaves
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
vector image of a face with thought expression
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Take a (break/brake) and (pore/pour) over this (c...
See All