Vague — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈvāg/

Meaning & Definition of Vague

Vague (adjective)

  1. not clearly expressed, stated in indefinite terms
  2. not having a precise meaning
  3. not clearly defined, grasped, or understood, indistinct; also, slight

Vague (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not expressed in precise terms

    "gave as vague a reply as he could, hoping not to give away the surprise"

    similar: fuzzy, indefinite, inexplicit, muzzy, unclear
    related: ambiguous, cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, murky, nebulous, obscure, unintelligible, bleary, blurry, dim, faint, foggy, gauzy, hazy, misty, woozy, indeterminate, indistinct, indistinguishable, uncertain, undefinable, undefined, undetermined, inexplicable, inscrutable, mysterious, baffling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, mystifying, obfuscatory, perplexing, puzzling, unfathomable
    opposite: clear, definite, explicit, specific
    near: candid, direct, forthright, foursquare, frank, honest, open, openhearted, outspoken, plainspoken, straight, straightforward, unguarded, obvious, plain, unambiguous, understandable, unequivocal, comprehensible, fathomable, intelligible, defined, distinct, well-defined, blatant, patent, unmistakable

  2. not seen or understood clearly

    "I have only a vague idea of what you're talking about"

    similar: blear, bleary, blurry, dim, faint, foggy, fuzzy, gauzy, hazy, indefinite, indistinct, indistinguishable, misty, murky, nebulous, obscure, opaque, pale, shadowy, unclear, undefined, undetermined
    related: dark, dusky, gloomy, impalpable, inappreciable, intangible, invisible, hieroglyphic, incomprehensible, indecipherable, indiscernible, inexplicable, mysterious, obfuscatory, puzzling
    opposite: clear, definite, pellucid
    near: bright, distinct, evident, obvious, plain, certain, firm, strong, sure

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Vague

The most common words with a similar meaning to Vague:

fuzzy, indefinite, inexplicit, muzzy, unclear, blear, bleary, blurry, dim, faint, foggy, gauzy, hazy, indistinct, indistinguishable, misty, murky, nebulous, obscure, opaque, pale, shadowy, undefined, undetermined

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Vague

Words with the opposite meaning of Vague:

clear, definite, explicit, specific, pellucid

Related Words for Vague

ambiguous, cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, unintelligible, woozy, indeterminate, uncertain, undefinable, inexplicable, inscrutable, mysterious, baffling, bewildering, confounding, confusing, mystifying, obfuscatory, perplexing, puzzling, unfathomable, dusky, gloomy, impalpable, inappreciable, intangible, invisible, hieroglyphic, incomprehensible

Near Antonyms of Vague

candid, direct, forthright, foursquare, frank, honest, open, openhearted, outspoken, plainspoken, straight, straightforward, unguarded, obvious, plain, unambiguous, understandable, unequivocal, comprehensible, fathomable, intelligible, defined, distinct, well-defined, blatant, patent, unmistakable, bright, evident, certain

Word Forms of Vague

Inflections: vaguer, vaguest

Derived words: vagueness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Vague

borrowed from French, going back to Middle French, going back to Old French, "wandering, vagabond," borrowed from Latin vagus "moving freely, wandering," perhaps akin to Old High German wankōn "to totter, stagger," winkan "to waver, stagger, wink," Old English wincian "to close the eyes" wink:1

First known use: circa 1661

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Vague

Words & Phrases Containing Vague

nouvelle vague

Frequently Asked Questions about Vague

What does "Vague" mean?

"Vague" means not clearly expressed, stated in indefinite terms. As an adjective, it is defined as: not clearly expressed, stated in indefinite terms. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Vague"?

Other words for "Vague" include fuzzy, indefinite, inexplicit, muzzy, unclear, blear, bleary and blurry. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Vague" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Vague"?

There are 56 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Vague". Common alternatives include fuzzy, indefinite, inexplicit, muzzy, unclear, blear, bleary, blurry, dim and faint.

What is the opposite of "Vague"?

Antonyms of "Vague" include clear, definite, explicit, specific and pellucid. Near antonyms include candid, direct, forthright and foursquare.

How do you use "Vague" in a sentence?

Examples of "Vague" in a sentence: "gave as vague a reply as he could, hoping not to give away the surprise"; "I have only a vague idea of what you're talking about".

Is "Vague" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Vague" is an adjective.

Is "Vague" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Vague" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Vague"?

"Vague" is pronounced /ˈvāg/.