as in obscure
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
the exact reason for the change in plans is ambiguous, but I suspect it has something to do with money
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Recent Examples of ambiguous
In addition to this overarching mystery, each week there will continue to be a patient suffering from ambiguous illness that the team must diagnose, which, with intertwining storylines, could make for some complicated episodes.
—
Anne Easton, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The big climactic set piece is somehow both maddeningly ambiguous and head-smackingly obvious, a maximalist attempt at making a statement that talks loud and says nothing.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
Siegfried, Roy, and audiences were dazzled by him — a captivating performer with an ambiguous and oft-changing backstory.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2025
Obviously this wasn’t the best call, regardless of the somewhat ambiguous state of Belly and Jeremiah’s relationship at the time.
—Olivia Petter, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambiguous
Anne Easton, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The big climactic set piece is somehow both maddeningly ambiguous and head-smackingly obvious, a maximalist attempt at making a statement that talks loud and says nothing.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 19 Sep. 2025
Siegfried, Roy, and audiences were dazzled by him — a captivating performer with an ambiguous and oft-changing backstory.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2025
Obviously this wasn’t the best call, regardless of the somewhat ambiguous state of Belly and Jeremiah’s relationship at the time.
—Olivia Petter, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ambiguous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambiguous
Adjective
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The agency said the company relied on confusing interfaces and obscure disclosures.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
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But overall, the popularity of different computer languages could become as obscure a topic as the relative popularity of railway track gauges.—
Stephen Cass,
IEEE Spectrum,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Chalmers research group has now provided a detailed account of a previously enigmatic phase of formamidinium lead iodide.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Sep. 2025
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For a planet already famous for its beauty and mysteries, Saturn just became even more enigmatic.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Harris left her political future up in the air, providing vague details about her plans going forward.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Sep. 2025
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The college did not advertise the underlying purpose of the land transfer ahead of Tuesday’s vote, posting only a vague agenda describing plans to convey unnamed property to Florida’s Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Written and directed by Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks, the movie tells the story of a couple, played by American actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco, who move to the countryside to save their relationship and encounter a mysterious force that draws them closer.—
Peter Guo,
NBC news,
25 Sep. 2025
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As the rest of America adjusts to Homelander's iron fist, back at Godolkin University, the mysterious new Dean preaches a curriculum that promises to make students more powerful than ever.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The potential consequences here can’t be overstated—the idea that robots can be taken over and used for nefarious purposes is already a science fiction trope, but the impact of a high-profile robot hack on the reputation of the commercial robotics industry is unclear.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 Sep. 2025
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With votes looming, Johnson quiet on succession Johnson's position on the matter is yet unclear.—
Laura Gersony,
AZCentral.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But what these murky recommendations largely obscure is the data, which overwhelmingly supports the use of COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy, as evidenced by a massive analysis set to be presented this weekend at an American Academy of Pediatrics conference.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
26 Sep. 2025
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Or is there something murkier here, the leftovers of words or ideas secreted behind the picture frames or even in the very walls themselves?—
Katie da Cunha Lewin
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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While filming season 3 of Special Forces, Bachelorette alum Trista Sutter's husband, Ryan Sutter, shared a cryptic Instagram post about her being gone, which sparked speculation about their relationship status.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
25 Sep. 2025
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At some point, though, meaning that is sufficiently cryptic becomes indistinguishable from no meaning at all.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In Completedworks’ spring 2026 presentation, the Texan actor and model took the stage as Miss Edie Grey, a television clairvoyant and mystic extraordinaire that can trace the history of objects with her magical touch.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
20 Sep. 2025
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Yet Blanc’s real faith lies in the nearly mystic quality involved in seeing what the human animal is capable of.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ambiguous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambiguous. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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