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grey area

British  

noun

  1. (in Britain) a region in which unemployment is relatively high

  2. an area or part of something existing between two extremes and having mixed characteristics of both

  3. an area, situation, etc, lacking clearly defined characteristics

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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Unlike neighbouring China which has banned cryptocurrencies outright, communist Vietnam has allowed blockchain technology to develop in a legal grey area -- barring its use for payments but letting people speculate unimpeded.

From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026

Ethics and etiquette often exist in that grey area, and you will have to decide whether calls and letters from the company and, possibly, a collection notice is worth $180.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 7, 2026

It is not a crime to film in public spaces but a lawyer specialising in image-based abuse said these types of videos fall into a legally "grey area" and could break harassment and voyeurism laws.

From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026

"I think it's a grey area," Lynagh said on Tuesday.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2025

In between those extremes is a grey area, where each new edition would have to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

From The Project Gutenberg FAQ 2002 by Jim Tinsley

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