vague

vague — adjective

1. not stated or explained in a clear or definite way, leaving room for doubt or mo

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

not stated or explained in a clear or definite way, leaving room for doubt or more than one interpretation — for example, instructions that are vague do not tell you exactly what to do.

Example

Christopher gave only a vague description of the man he had seen at the station.

vague description — lacking detail

The fire-safety instructions were so vague that nobody understood the evacuation plan.

Common collocations
  • vague idea
  • vague memory
  • vague feeling
  • vague answer
  • vague description
  • vague instructions
  • vague promise
  • vague terms
  • deliberately vague
  • rather vague
Synonyms
  • ambiguous

    stronger focus on having two or more possible meanings; 'vague' is broader and can mean simply lacking detail.

  • unclear

    more general and slightly less formal; can apply to any situation where meaning is not easy to grasp.

  • hazy

    more informal and often suggests confusion from poor memory or lack of attention.

Antonyms
  • clear

    opposite degree of precision or detail.

  • specific

    opposite in the sense of giving exact details rather than general statements.

Grammar Patterns

be + vague + about + (noun phrase / wh-clause)

vague + noun (idea / memory / description / answer)

Usage Note

Often carries a mildly negative tone when describing instructions, rules, or promises — it suggests that more clarity would have been expected or helpful.

Common Mistakes

There is a vague chance of rain today.
There is a slight chance of rain today.
'vague' describes unclear information, not a small quantity or probability.

2. lacking a distinct outline or definable form, so that something is hard to see o

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

lacking a distinct outline or definable form, so that something is hard to see or identify — for example, a vague shape in the fog that could be either a person or a tree.

Example

Through the morning fog, Lakshmi saw the vague outline of a church tower.

vague outline — unclear physical shape

The old photograph was too vague for anyone to recognise the faces in it.

Common collocations
  • vague outline
  • vague shape
  • vague figure
  • vague form
  • vague silhouette
Synonyms
  • hazy

    similar meaning for physical indistinctness, but 'hazy' is more atmospheric (mist, heat) whereas 'vague' focuses on the lack of clear outline.

  • indistinct

    slightly more formal; describes anything that is hard to perceive through any sense.

Antonyms
  • clear

    opposite: easy to see or perceive.

  • sharp

    opposite: having well-defined edges or outlines.

Grammar Patterns

vague + noun (outline / shape / figure / form)

be + vague

Usage Note

Most often used with nouns of visual perception (outline, shape, figure, form, silhouette). Unlike sense 1, this sense does not carry a negative judgement — it simply describes poor visibility.

3. unable to think or express thoughts clearly, or deliberately giving unclear answ

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

unable to think or express thoughts clearly, or deliberately giving unclear answers in order to avoid revealing information — for example, someone who becomes vague when asked about their weekend plans because they do not want to explain.

Example

When Amelia asked about the missing receipts, her colleague became vague and changed the subject.

became vague — deliberately evasive

After the car accident, the driver gave vague, confused answers to the police officer.

Common collocations
  • vague about
  • deliberately vague
  • rather vague
  • a vague person
  • vague and confused
Synonyms
  • evasive

    stronger implication of intentional avoidance; 'vague' can also describe genuine confusion.

  • absent-minded

    implies forgetfulness or lack of focus rather than deliberate evasion.

Antonyms
  • direct

    opposite in the sense of giving straightforward answers.

  • clear-headed

    opposite in the sense of thinking lucidly.

Grammar Patterns

be + vague + about + (noun phrase)

become / get + vague

Usage Note

Can imply either genuine confusion or intentional evasiveness. The context — what the person is being vague about and why — determines which meaning is intended. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 applies to statements or ideas; sense 3 applies to the person's behaviour or mental state.

Common Mistakes

The student was vague with the exam questions.
The student found the exam questions vague.
use sense 1 for unclear questions; use sense 3 only when describing a person's behaviour or mental state.

Word family

  • vaguely
    adverbB1
  • vagueness
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a lack of clarity, but they differ in what is unclear and why. Vague is the broadest term — it describes any statement that lacks enough detail or precision to be useful; e.g., 'a vague promise to help'. Ambiguous is narrower: it means a statement has two or more possible meanings, leaving the listener unsure which one is intended; e.g., 'an ambiguous sentence that could mean yes or no'. Unclear is more general and slightly less formal; it can apply to anything that is hard to understand for any reason, including handwriting, speech, or logic. Hazy is informal and often relates to memory or perception: 'a hazy recollection of the event' suggests fuzziness rather than missing detail. In a practical context: if a boss sends instructions that lack any direction, they are vague; if the instructions can be read in two opposite ways, they are ambiguous; if the handwriting is messy and the meaning is lost, they are unclear.

vague ↗ambiguous ↗unclear ↗hazy

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • vaguely

Prepositions

  • vague about

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Vague comes from Latin 'vagus' meaning 'wandering, roaming, uncertain'. It entered English through French in the 1500s, first used to describe physical movement that had no fixed direction, and later applied to speech and thought that lacked a clear direction.