indistinct

American  

[in-di-stingkt] / ˌɪn dɪˈstɪŋkt /

adjective

1. not distinct; not clearly marked or defined.

   indistinct markings.

2. not clearly distinguishable or perceptible, as to the eye, ear, or mind.

   He heard an indistinct muttering.

   Synonyms:

   dim, clouded

3. not distinguishing clearly.

   After the accident he suffered from indistinct vision and faulty hearing.

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indistinct British  

/ ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt /

adjective

1. incapable of being clearly distinguished, as by the eyes, ears, or mind; not distinct

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Other Word Forms

• indistinctly adverb
• indistinctness noun

Etymology

Origin of indistinct

From the Latin word indistinctus, dating back to 1520–30. See in- ³, distinct

Example Sentences

But across their indistinct black-and-white faces she used red thread to stitch a representation of the paths they followed from Eritrea to the U.K.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

The ceremony was being livestreamed on YouTube, where it was reported that muffled, indistinct noise could be heard on the broadcast.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2024

Otherwise, Doug Liman’s 2005 action comedy is a slight distraction – fun, but indistinct.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2024

This galaxy, AzTECC71, was first detected as an indistinct blob of dust emission by a camera on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii that sees in wavelengths between far infrared and microwave.

From Science Daily • Dec. 1, 2023

Because so few people cross the Teklanika during the spring and summer months, much of the route is indistinct and over-grown with brush.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer