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

If that sounds vaguely like the beloved Canadian comedy “Slings & Arrows,” it’s for good reason — co-creator Bob Martin was also co-creator of that show.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

But if the movie were a person, he’d be vaguely amused.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

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

“There’s been a whole series of legal challenges he’s been able to slip out of, but voters are at least vaguely aware of them,” Jillson said.

From Salon ● Jul. 28, 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