vague

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /veɪɡ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like beg /v/ vs /b/

adj noun 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

Common collocations

vague idea Adjective + noun

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

# vague

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**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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