vague

American  

[veyg] / veɪg /

adjective

vaguer, vaguest

1. not clearly or explicitly stated or expressed.

   vague promises.

   Synonyms:

   imprecise, unspecific

2. indefinite or indistinct in nature or character, as ideas or feelings.

   a vague premonition of disaster.

3. not clear or distinct to the sight or any other sense; perceptible or recognizable only in an indefinite way: vague murmurs behind a door.

   vague shapes in the dark;

   vague murmurs behind a door.

   Synonyms:

   shadowy, hazy, obscure

4. not definitely established, determined, confirmed, or known; uncertain.

   a vague rumor;

   The date of his birth is vague.

5. (of persons) not clear or definite in thought, understanding, or expression: a vague person.

   vague about his motives;

   a vague person.

6. (of the eyes, expression, etc.) showing lack of clear perception or understanding.

   a vague stare.

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vague British  

/ veɪɡ /

adjective

1. (of statements, meaning, etc) not explicit; imprecise

   vague promises

2. not clearly perceptible or discernible; indistinct

   a vague idea

   a vague shape

3. not clearly or definitely established or known

   a vague rumour

4. (of a person or his expression) demonstrating lack of precision or clear thinking; absent-minded

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Other Word Forms

• unvague
  adjective
• unvagueness
  noun
• vaguely
  adverb
• vagueness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of vague

First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French or directly from Latin vagus “wandering”

Explanation

If your grasp of physics is vague and you've got a test coming up, it's time to hit the books. When something is vague, it’s unclear, murky, and hard to understand. Vague comes from the Latin vagus, which means wandering or rambling. Think of a vagabond, someone who wanders around the world with only a vague idea of where he's going. There are a few big, impressive words for vague, including ambiguous, nebulous, and tenebrous.

Example Sentences

“Adventure buddies” had a nice ring, but it was vague.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

It had a typically vague outlook for the year, expecting earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization to grow in line with its medium-term outlook of between 4% and 8%.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

Mediators said Iran became vague when pressed by the U.S. for specifics on issues it had said it was willing to discuss, people familiar with the matter said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

After all, Mary’s details are vague and muddled.

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026

“My father is still purposefully vague about the rules,” Celia says as they walk through the trees.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• ambiguous
• dubious
• equivocal
• faint
• fuzzy
• hazy
• imprecise
• lax
• nebulous
• obscure
• uncertain
• unclear
• unsure