vaguely

American  

[veyg-lee] / ˈveɪg li /

adverb

1. in a way that is unclear, imprecise, or uncertain: The sound was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't identify it.

   They've been talking vaguely about maybe buying a house there one of these days.

   The sound was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't identify it.

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Other Word Forms

• unvaguely
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of vaguely

vague ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

Vaguely describes action that is unclear. If you vaguely recall meeting someone once before, you barely remember him or her, what you talked about, or even where you met. The adverb vaguely probably comes from the Latin word vagus, which means “wandering,” or “uncertain.” Its origin is unclear, which is fitting for a word that means "mistily." If you don't want to go to your friend's tuba recital, you can say vaguely, "I think I might have something else to do that night. But if I don't, I'll try to make it."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vaguely

So next time you pick up a book, what you think is just something vaguely interesting might actually make up an important part of your psychology.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

Its detached, dispassionate approach vaguely recalls the work of another Kurosawa: Akira, who turned 75 shortly before releasing his late-career stunner “Ran.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

I’d known of him as a New York real estate mogul from covering Trump’s first presidency, and New York politics and real estate before that, but only vaguely.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

Our hard drives being full, we can vaguely remember that we had some grudge but not what it was about or who it was against.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

I vaguely remember a trip to visit Uhmma’s parents, but their faces and the specifics of the visit are blurred and faint in my memory.

From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na