unclear

adjective

ˌən-ˈklir How to pronounce unclear (audio)
Definition of unclearnext
1
as in vague
not expressed in precise terms their suggestion for correcting the problem is a bit unclear

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in faint
not seen or understood clearly obtained at best an unclear glimpse of the rarely seen bird from across the road

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of unclear The team also expects Bellinger, Judge and Stanton back before the season ends, though the latter two are operating on unclear timelines. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026 New characters and backstory details are dropped in before existing loose ends are tied up, resulting in unclear motivations and convoluted layers of subplot that, ultimately, do not prove relevant enough to have been worth disentangling. — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026 The status of the midday host and program director is unclear. — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026 What else might be demolished in Crown Center for the ballpark district remains unclear. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unclear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unclear
  1. vague
  2. faint
  3. ambiguous
  4. hazy
Adjective
  • Entrepreneurs need this because being vague does not sell, attract referrals or earn trust.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The question is intentionally vague and confusing, and goes out of its way to evade the true purpose of the law.
    — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of vague
Adjective
  • Led by researchers at the University of Cambridge, the mission aims to detect the faint 21-centimeter radio line emitted by early hydrogen atoms operating at low frequencies (10–50 MHz), a signal never before directly observed.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
  • During search operations, hundreds of onlookers and volunteers must be kept quiet enough in the middle of a bustling city to listen for the faintest sign of life.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • But that was ambiguous enough for some overeager follow-up reports to mistake the book for the kill-and-tell that many had always assumed Finke would eventually write.
    — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Worse than that, real-world sensor data is often so ambiguous, incomplete, and riddled with noise that the only way to describe it is borderline chaotic.
    — David Szondy August 11, New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • Crews battled a large fire at a scrap metal yard in North Philadelphia's Hunting Park neighborhood Sunday night, sending thick, hazy smoke into the sky and raising concerns among neighbors who say problems at the property have persisted for years.
    — Eva Andersen, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Across the hall, in a lavender family room, a vintage TV installation by Jennifer stands in a corner playing hazy family videos and iconic cultural moments such as James Brown’s famously bizarre 1988 CNN interview on a loop.
    — Jewel Wicker, Architectural Digest, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of hazy

Browse Nearby Words

uncleanness
unclear
uncleared
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unclear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unclear. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unclear

Nglish: Translation of unclear for Spanish Speakers

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