unclear

adjective

un·​clear ˌən-ˈklir 

: not clear: such as

a

: difficult to understand

an unclear explanation

unclear instructions

an unclear reference

b

: confused or uncertain about something

—often used with about

was a little unclear about how to proceed

unclearly adverb

speaking unclearly

an unclearly remembered incident

Synonyms of unclear

• vague
• ambiguous

Examples of unclear in a Sentence

their suggestion for correcting the problem is a bit unclear

obtained at best an unclear glimpse of the rarely seen bird from across the road

Recent Examples on the Web

The order comes as the FBI raid has been heavily scrutinized, especially since the target of the investigation is still unclear. —Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 9 Feb. 2026

The terms of any potential settlement remain unclear. —Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026

Officials said the documents will be repopulated once redactions are made, but the timeline is unclear. —Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2026

Also unclear are the contours of the next transition, which is expected to be led solely by Fils-Aimé after political and civic leaders failed to reach an agreement on moving forward. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing unclear

• unclear on the concept of

Rhymes for unclear

• adhere
• ameer
• amir
• appear
• arrear
• astir
• austere
• career
• cashier
• cohere
• compere
• emir