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

Kushner revealed in March that Affinity had made 28 investments so far, but the size of its stake in Phoenix relative to the rest of its holdings remains unclear. — Allegra Goodwin, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

In Finance​ Give agentic AI fragmented data, inconsistent processes or unclear ownership, and those weaknesses become part of how the technology operates. — Ari Widlansky, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Authorities said there was no evidence of foul play, while circumstances leading up to the fall remain unclear. — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

The husband made multiple passes at the hostess for reasons unclear even to himself. — Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 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