vague

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /veɪɡ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like beg /v/ vs /b/

Freq #8662

Meanings

1

adj
Not clear or exact; not giving enough detail.

He gave a vague answer that left us all confused.
2

adj
Not clearly seen, felt, or remembered.

I have only a vague memory of my first school.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not clear or exact; not... unclear indefinite imprecise

2 adj · not clearly seen, felt, or... faint hazy dim

More ambiguous equivocal fuzzy generic gray imperspicuous indeterminate indistinct murky nebulous

Opposites

certain clear definable defined definite determinate distinct exact perspicuous precise

Word family

Forms vaguenessvaguervaguest

Related forms extravagantgender-vaguemysteriousnoctivagantvagabond vagary vaguelyvaguenessvagus

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

vague idea
an unclear or imprecise notion

Adjective + noun
vague sense of
an indistinct feeling or awareness of something

Fixed expression

Simplified etymology

Vague descends from Latin vagus, “wandering,” related to vagari, “to wander.” In the 16th century, English applied the image of wandering to thought or expression that was unfocused or unclear.

Etymology

From Middle French vague, from Latin vagus (“uncertain, vague”, literally “wandering, rambling, strolling”).

vague Middle French vagus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# vague

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /veɪɡ/
**Frequency rank:** 8662

## Meanings
1. Not clear or exact; not giving enough detail.
2. Not clearly seen, felt, or remembered.

## Examples
- He gave a vague answer that left us all confused.
- I have only a vague memory of my first school.

## Synonyms
- ambiguous
- equivocal
- fuzzy
- generic
- gray
- imperspicuous
- imprecise
- indefinite
- indeterminate
- indistinct
- murky
- nebulous

## Antonyms
- certain
- clear
- definable
- defined
- definite
- determinate
- distinct
- exact
- perspicuous
- precise

## Related Forms
- extravagant
- gender-vague
- mysterious
- noctivagant
- vagabond
- vagary
- vaguely
- vagueness
- vagus

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: vague
- Root: vagus

## Etymology
From Middle French vague, from Latin vagus (“uncertain, vague”, literally “wandering, rambling, strolling”).

## AI Etymology
Vague is from Middle French vague, from Latin vagus (“uncertain, vague”, literally “wandering, rambling, strolling”). The historical line also includes Middle French vague, Latin vagus. In present-day use, it can mean not clear or exact; not giving enough detail, or not clearly seen, felt, or remembered.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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