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 is unclear whether Joel underwent the procedure, although the “Uptown Girl” singer initially postponed his concerts in March 2025 after undergoing unspecified surgery and physical therapy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
It’s still unclear how much Tesla will ultimately ask for the Roadster or how much optional features could cost buyers — some of whom decided not to stick around and find out.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
The total cost of the program could be around $160 million, a U.S. official said, adding that it is unclear whether Hezbollah has that much liquid cash.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
What remained unclear was exactly how they contributed to cancer growth.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
She encouraged him, she was unclear, and now she’s finally being clear.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
