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 reasoning for his second placement on administrative leave is unclear at this time. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026

Whether the commenter ever followed through on the challenge is still unclear, but SZA had something to say to people who think tearing down someone else’s artwork is worth a lot of their time. — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2026

In the days following the crash, police confirmed that speed was a factor, but the events leading up to the incident remained unclear. — Mike Darnay, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

These years later, the origin of Covid-19 remains unclear, yet more Americans died of Covid-19 than in all of our wars combined. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 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