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

Derived 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

During those evening rides, Grohl also drank up the city’s otherworldly, vaguely haunted visage.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

He watched as posters' imagination developed the image into a "vaguely nostalgic and vaguely dreamlike but also very tangible science-fiction concept".

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

“Don’t fall into the trap of clicking ‘apply’ to every job you come across where you vaguely meet the criteria, as this can become discouraging,” said Duris.

From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026

It conjures something overly marinated, vaguely limp, sitting in the back of a deli case.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

I nodded vaguely at my bag, which had fallen when I’d tried to knock him over.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows