unclear
Britishadjective
Other Word Forms
Explanation
When something's unclear it's hard to see or understand. If the directions for assembling your new desk are unclear, you might end up with two upside-down drawers and a handful of unused nuts and bolts. If you don't explain something accurately, it will be unclear to the person who's trying to understand. And when a photograph is badly out of focus, it's also unclear — you can't quite see the details. You can also use this adjective for the feeling that results in these situations: "I'm unclear about exactly who's in this photo and why you wanted me to see it."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s also unclear how much information Tesla will actually provide at its planned events.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
People in prison confess to crimes, regardless of innocence, for any manner of reasons: because they are coerced, because their memories are unclear, to curry favor, for attention.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
The cause of the crash was unclear but the National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating.
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
It is unclear who that chaperone is or what powers, if any, were given to that person.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
From time to time he came to Burnham for money, although whether he sought outright loans or sold Burnham artwork from his personal collection is unclear.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
