vaguely

adverb

vague·​ly ˈvāg-lē How to pronounce vaguely (audio)
: in a vague way: such as
a
: somewhat or slightly
He's vaguely familiar with the area.
… men on foot, dressed vaguely like janitors …A. L. Kennedy
b
: not clearly
There were grants, he explained vaguely, that had to be spent before the money went back to the federal government, so my main job was to buy lavish art books, as quickly as possible.Michael Blaine
Where once the city was a battleground for two main militias … now at least five militias claim vaguely defined pockets as their own.Jeffrey Bartholet
I've always believed closers are like girlfriends: You remember the great ones, you remember the awful ones and you vaguely remember everyone in between. (You could say the same about hockey goalies and field goal kickers.)Bill Simmons

Examples of vaguely in a Sentence

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.
Services, infrastructure, governance, stability—everything that is needed for even a vaguely normal life is either gone, or on its knees. Anna Halford, Time, 25 Oct. 2025 Black satin, with a vaguely art deco pattern shot through it, a grid of circles and squares. David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 Although, given the BPU is owned by the Unified Government, state statute vaguely implies that may not be allowed to happen. Sofi Zeman october 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2025 Sure enough, researchers found six vaguely familiar-looking frogs during their searches, the study said. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vaguely

Word History

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vaguely was in 1663

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Cite this Entry

“Vaguely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaguely. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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