nebulous

adjective

neb·​u·​lous ˈne-byə-ləs How to pronounce nebulous (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a nebula : nebular
2
: indistinct, vague
… this nebulous thing called jazz.Josef Woodard
… the nebulous region between mere suspicion and probable causeW. R. LaFave & J. H. Israel
The plan is too nebulous.
nebulously adverb
nebulousness noun

Did you know?

Nebulous may sound other-worldly—after all, it’s related to nebula, which refers to a distant galaxy or an interstellar cloud of gas or dust—but its mysteriousness is rooted in more earthly unknowns. Both words ultimately come from Latin nebula, meaning “mist, cloud,” and as far back as the 14th century nebulous could mean simply “cloudy” or “foggy.” Nebulous has since the late 17th century been the adjective correlating to nebula (as in “nebulous gas”), but the word is more familiar in its figurative use, where it describes things that are indistinct or vague, as when Jack London wrote of “ideas that were nebulous at best and that in reality were remembered sensations.”

Examples of nebulous in a Sentence

These philosophical concepts can be nebulous. made nebulous references to some major changes the future may hold
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ultimately, all of the queens performed pretty well this week, making the criteria seem extra nebulous depending on who the judges are talking to. Chris Feil, Vulture, 30 May 2025 In De Palma’s hands, Ethan’s big-screen debut is a labyrinthine whodunnit in which truth itself is nebulous at best. Will Harris, EW.com, 23 May 2025 His candidacy has also been embraced and even shaped by a hip social media class that wields not official endorsements, but something more nebulous and fickle: a social stamp of approval. Joseph Bernstein, New York Times, 17 May 2025 In recent months, a more nebulous and vacuous kind of assessment has been entering into the AI vocabulary. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for nebulous

Word History

Etymology

Latin nebulosus misty, from nebula

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nebulous was in 1674

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Cite this Entry

“Nebulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nebulous. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

nebulous

adjective
neb·​u·​lous ˈneb-yə-ləs How to pronounce nebulous (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or resembling a nebula
2
: not clear or sharp : vague
nebulously adverb
nebulousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on nebulous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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