1
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
made nebulous references to some major changes the future may hold
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
could just make out the nebulous outline of a fishing shack in the dense fog
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of nebulous
Also in the 1920s, Edwin Hubble, along with his assistant Milton Humason, began observing individual stars in galaxies beyond the Milky Way, enabling us to measure the distances to these nebulous objects.
—
Big Think, 22 Oct. 2025
The Smashing Machine is hard to love, because its nebulous form offers so little to grab onto and hold tight.
—Richard Lawson, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Upon Ichiro’s retirement, the Mariners bestowed him with the fancy but nebulous title of Special Assistant to the Chairman.
—Brad Lefton, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
The public interest standard, a rather nebulous term, has been used by FCC officials in the past to warn broadcasters of their obligations, often using their bully pulpit to exert pressure on the industry.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nebulous
Big Think, 22 Oct. 2025
The Smashing Machine is hard to love, because its nebulous form offers so little to grab onto and hold tight.
—Richard Lawson, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Upon Ichiro’s retirement, the Mariners bestowed him with the fancy but nebulous title of Special Assistant to the Chairman.
—Brad Lefton, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
The public interest standard, a rather nebulous term, has been used by FCC officials in the past to warn broadcasters of their obligations, often using their bully pulpit to exert pressure on the industry.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nebulous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nebulous
Adjective
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With stunning celerity, possibility becomes probability and then certainty, as readers reject the quiet, circuitous, and unglamorous narratives of prudential compromise, ambiguous diplomacy, or incremental progress.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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Ibsen’s choice to use Hedda’s maiden name for the play speaks to her resistance to the strong presence of men in her life; DaCosta’s choice to remove the surname entirely speaks to a rejection of patriarchal identity, replaced with an ambiguous void that Hedda herself doesn’t know how to fill.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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For the most part, courts have upheld that states have the authority to ban campaign speech in the polling place but often strike down the statute involved as being too vague.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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But what is the national character if not a vague feeling?—
Dan Brooks,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Welch announced their album Everybody Scream back in August, following a few cryptic teasers.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
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This led many fans to believe that online discussions and interviews referencing his expiring contract were part of an elaborate storyline, given Kross's cryptic persona.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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While the faint scent of woodsmoke might feel nostalgic at first, consistent indoor exposure is anything but harmless.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
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When the faint pass left his stick, Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook was first to pounce.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Add to that list Inhotim, a sprawling and relatively obscure contemporary art collection in the jungle of the state of Minas Gerais that surpasses any notion of what a museum can be.—
William O'Connor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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Mamdani began his campaign as a relatively obscure state lawmaker, little known even within New York City.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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As her body began to shiver and her mind grew hazy, extraction efforts only became more difficult.—
Mark Gray,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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At the new Bay View taproom, the brewery will serve small runs as well as Solemn Oath Brewery staples, such as its popular Lü Kölsch, Snaggletooth Bandana IPA, Small Wave City Club hazy IPA and Kidnapped by Vikings IPA.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos were looked at by many across the NFL as a dark-horse Super Bowl contender before the season started.—
Mark Kern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Sor Juana’s verses confirm that venturing into the dating pool is always like stepping into a dark abyss.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nebulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nebulous. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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