Vague Definition and Meaning
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Published on March 6, 2024
Vague refers to something that is unclear, indefinite, or lacking in detail or precision. e.g., His explanation was so vague that no one understood the instructions.
Table of Contents
Vague Definitions
Not clearly expressed, known, described, or decided.
The directions she gave were too vague to follow.
Not clearly perceived or perceptible.
There was a vague aroma of coffee in the air.
Lacking clarity or distinctness.
He had a vague memory of the event, but couldn't recall details.
Characterized by a lack of precision or specificity.
His answers to the questions were frustratingly vague.
Ambiguous or uncertain.
The ending of the story was deliberately left vague.
Indefinite in nature or character.
There was a vague sense of unease throughout the meeting.
Not precisely limited, determined, or distinguished.
She felt a vague dissatisfaction with her life.
Not thinking or expressing oneself clearly.
She was vague about her weekend plans.
Not clearly or explicitly stated or expressed.
The contract contained some vague clauses that needed clarification.
Not sharply outlined or detailed; hazy.
The mountains in the distance appeared as vague silhouettes in the mist.
Not clear in meaning or expression; inexplicit.
Not thinking or expressing oneself clearly
"Most of us are quite vague about the theoretical underpinnings of the medical theories that guide our doctors" (Kwame Anthony Appiah).
Lacking definite shape, form, or character; indistinct
Saw a vague outline of a building through the fog.
Indistinctly felt, perceived, understood, or recalled; hazy
A vague uneasiness.
Not clearly expressed; stated in indefinite terms.
Not having a precise meaning.
A vague term of abuse
Not clearly defined, grasped, or understood; indistinct; slight.
Only a vague notion of what’s needed
A vague hint of a thickening waistline
I haven’t the vaguest idea.
Not clearly felt or sensed; somewhat subconscious.
A vague longing
Not thinking or expressing one’s thoughts clearly or precisely.
Lacking expression; vacant.
Not sharply outlined; hazy.
Wandering; vagrant; vagabond.
(obsolete) A wandering; a vagary.
An indefinite expanse.
(archaic) to wander; to roam; to stray.
To become vague or act in a vague manner.
To make vague negative comments publicly; to make highly veiled complaints or insults.
Wandering; vagrant; vagabond.
She danced along with vague, regardless eyes.
Unsettled; unfixed; undetermined; indefinite; ambiguous; as, a vague idea; a vague proposition.
This faith is neither a mere fantasy of future glory, nor a vague ebullition of feeling.
The poet turned away, and gave himself up to a sort of vague revery, which he called thought.
Proceeding from no known authority; unauthenticated; uncertain; flying; as, a vague report.
Some legend strange and vague.
An indefinite expanse.
The gray vague of unsympathizing sea.
A wandering; a vagary.
To wander; to roam; to stray.
Not clearly understood or expressed;
An obscure turn of phrase
An impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit
Their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear
Vague...forms of speech...have so long passed for mysteries of science
Not precisely limited, determined, or distinguished;
An undefined term
Undefined authority
Some undefined sense of excitement
Vague feelings of sadness
A vague uneasiness
Lacking clarity or distinctness;
A dim figure in the distance
Only a faint recollection
Shadowy figures in the gloom
Saw a vague outline of a building through the fog
A few wispy memories of childhood
Vague Snonyms
Nebulous
In the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.
She had a nebulous concept of what she wanted to do.
Ambiguous
Open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning.
The ending of the story was deliberately ambiguous.
Obscure
Not discovered or known about; uncertain.
His origins remain obscure.
Indefinite
Lasting for an unknown or unstated length of time.
They were on an indefinite hiatus.
Fuzzy
Not clear; indistinct or vague.
He only had a fuzzy memory of the event.
Indistinct
Not clear or sharply defined.
The figures in the distance were indistinct.
Blurry
Unclear or smeary in appearance.
The photo was blurry and hard to make out.
Unclear
Not easy to see, hear, or understand.
The instructions were unclear.
Hazy
Covered by a haze; not clear or distinct.
The view was hazy with morning fog.
Misty
Full of or covered with mist; not clear.
The road ahead was misty and uncertain.
Vague Idioms & Phrases
A vague notion
A general, unclear idea or understanding.
He had a vague notion of starting his own business but no concrete plan.
Vague terms
Words or expressions that lack specificity.
The agreement was full of vague terms that confused the parties involved.
In a vague sense
Having an indistinct or unclear perception.
In a vague sense, he knew that the decision was not going to be easy.
Vague impression
An unclear or indistinct understanding.
He left with a vague impression of the presentation's content.
Keep it vague
Deliberately avoid providing details.
When asked about his plans, he preferred to keep it vague.
Vague answer
A response that lacks detail or clarity.
Every time she asked for details, she received only vague answers.
Stay vague
To remain non-committal or avoid specifics.
On sensitive topics, he chose to stay vague.
Vague understanding
Knowing something in a general but unclear way.
They had a vague understanding of the risks involved.
Vague memories
Indistinct or unclear recollections.
She had only vague memories of her childhood home.
Vague figure
An indistinct or blurry shape or person.
In the fog, he could see a vague figure approaching.
Vaguely familiar
Something that seems to be recognized but not clearly remembered.
The melody was vaguely familiar, yet she couldn't place it.
Vague response
A reply that is not direct or clear.
The politician's vague response did not satisfy the interviewer.
Vague reference
An allusion that is not explicit or clear.
The poem made a vague reference to an ancient myth.
Vague notion of time
An unclear perception of time passing.
Lost in his work, he had only a vague notion of time.
Vague suspicion
A feeling that something might be the case, but without clear evidence.
There was a vague suspicion among the team that the deadline would be missed.
Vague boundaries
Limits that are not clearly defined.
The property had vague boundaries, leading to disputes with neighbors.
Vague idea
A notion that is not fully formed or clear.
She had a vague idea about changing careers but hadn't thought it through.
Vague outline
A sketchy or imprecise plan or description.
He gave a vague outline of his novel's plot to the publisher.
Vague feeling
An indistinct or unclear emotion.
There was a vague feeling of discontent among the employees.
Vague Example Sentences
The instructions were vague and not helpful.
The meeting ended with a vague promise of future discussions.
Her vision for the project was still quite vague.
The boundaries of the old map were vague and undefined.
His vague reply left everyone more confused than before.
There was a vague feeling that something wasn't right.
She received a vague warning about the journey.
The forecast predicted a vague chance of rain.
She had only a vague idea of where the place was located.
His description of the person was too vague to be useful.
His health diagnosis was vague, leaving room for many questions.
He gave only a vague response to the serious question.
The novel's setting is left deliberately vague.
The teacher's expectations were vague and left students guessing.
The term has a vague meaning that can be interpreted in several ways.
Common Curiosities
What is a stressed syllable in vague?
The entire word "vague" is stressed, as it consists of only one syllable.
Why is it called vague?
It's called "vague" because it describes something that is unclear, imprecise, or lacking in detail.
How many syllables are in vague?
There is one syllable in "vague."
What is the first form of vague?
"Vague" is the base form of the word.
How do we divide vague into syllables?
"Vague" is a single syllable and is not divided.
How is vague used in a sentence?
"Vague" is used as an adjective to describe something that lacks clarity or detail.
What is the pronunciation of vague?
Vague is pronounced as /veɪɡ/.
What part of speech is vague?
"Vague" is an adjective.
What is the third form of vague?
"Vaguest" is the superlative form of "vague."
What is the singular form of vague?
"Vague" is an adjective and does not have a singular or plural form in the way nouns do.
What is the plural form of vague?
As an adjective, "vague" does not have a plural form, but it can describe singular or plural nouns.
What is the opposite of vague?
The opposite of "vague" is "clear" or "precise."
Is vague a countable noun?
No, "vague" is not a noun; it is an adjective.
Is the vague term a metaphor?
"Vague" can be used metaphorically to describe things that are unclear or poorly defined.
Is the word vague imperative?
No, "vague" is not an imperative form; it's an adjective.
Is the word “vague” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Vague" is an adjective and does not serve as a direct or indirect object.
Which vowel is used before vague?
The vowel "a" is used in "vague."
What is the verb form of vague?
"Vague" does not have a direct verb form; related verbs might include "vagueing" (rarely used) or actions that convey vagueness like "obscure" or "confuse."
What is the root word of vague?
The root of "vague" comes from the Latin "vagus," meaning wandering or uncertain.
What is another term for vague?
Another term for "vague" could be "ambiguous" or "unclear."
Is the word vague a Gerund?
No, "vague" is not a gerund. Gerunds are verbs ending in -ing that function as nouns.
Is vague an abstract noun?
No, "vague" is not a noun; it's an adjective. An abstract noun related to "vague" could be "vagueness."
Which preposition is used with vague?
Prepositions like "about," "on," and "over" can be used with "vague," depending on the context, e.g., "vague about the details."
Which article is used with vague?
The articles "a" or "the" can be used with nouns modified by "vague," depending on whether the noun is specific or general.
What is the second form of vague?
"Vaguer" would be a comparative form of "vague."
Is vague a negative or positive word?
"Vague" is generally neutral but can have negative connotations when clarity is expected or required.
Is vague a collective noun?
No, "vague" is not a collective noun.
Which determiner is used with vague?
Determiners like "a," "the," "this," "that," "some" can be used with nouns modified by "vague," depending on the context.
Which conjunction is used with vague?
Conjunctions like "and" and "but" can be used with "vague," e.g., "vague but promising."
Is vague a noun or adjective?
"Vague" is an adjective.
Is vague an adverb?
No, "vague" is not an adverb. The adverb form would be "vaguely."
Is vague a vowel or consonant?
The word "vague" starts with a consonant sound.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
