nebulous

[ neb-yuh-luhs ]

adjective

1. hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused:

   a nebulous recollection of the meeting; a nebulous distinction between pride and conceit.

2. cloudy or cloudlike.
3. of or resembling a nebula or nebulae in deep space; nebular.

nebulous

/ ˈnɛbjʊləs /

adjective

1. lacking definite form, shape, or content; vague or amorphous

   nebulous reasons

2. of, characteristic of, or resembling a nebula
3. rare.
   misty or hazy

Derived Forms

• ˈnebulously, adverb
• ˈnebulousness, noun

Other Words From

• nebu·lous·ly adverb
• nebu·lous·ness noun
• non·nebu·lous adjective
• non·nebu·lous·ly adverb
• non·nebu·lous·ness noun
• quasi-nebu·lous adjective
• quasi-nebu·lous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of nebulous¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin nebulōsus “full of mist, foggy, cloudy,” from nebul(a) “cloud, mist, vapor” ( nebula ) + -ōsus -ous

Example Sentences

Most evenings Rood can step into his front yard in Southern California and see the nebulous tracks of the Milky Way run over Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

From Popular-Science

Something as nebulous as “stronger” WiFi may not be as easily detected, at least not at first.

From Popular-Science

Improving domestic demand is one facet of President Xi Jinping’s nebulous “dual circulation” policy initiative, which state media has touted in recent weeks as a new formula for economic growth.

From Fortune

Behind its stars is a network of managers and newly formed talent companies ready to make money off them, and much like the TikTok celebrities they manage, the job duties are often nebulous.

From Vox

You get a base goal of 150 somewhat nebulous points per week.

From Popular-Science

Rather, there are nebulous decrees that can potentially be enforced by the Thai authorities.

From The Daily Beast

Exactly how many Chase accounts were closed and why the bank decided to close them remains nebulous.

From The Daily Beast

There is no body, there is no weapon, and unlike a drop of blood, the clues are as nebulous as the thoughts and intentions of men.

From The Daily Beast

The term, which is nebulous and unregulated, can apply to any wine made without very few winery manipulations.

From The Daily Beast

Some art was condemned as being “too Jewish,” though this was a nebulous concept.

From The Daily Beast

In other cases the nebulous appearance is hardly more than a mist about a tolerably distinct central star.

From Project Gutenberg

Dalgard had striven since that moment of contact to keep in touch with the nebulous other mind, to project his need for help.

From Project Gutenberg

That luminous glare which sometimes lingers after the stars go out, threw a trembling, nebulous radiance over sand and cove.

From Project Gutenberg

They were like the tiniest grains of dust, and they whirled round and gathered in clusters in a nebulous sort of way.

From Project Gutenberg

Her thought of him was vague, nebulous, and taking many forms.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ambiguous
• amorphous
• hazy
• imprecise
• murky
• shadowy
• vague