UN-CLEAR Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

unclear

adjective

ˌən-ˈklir

Definition of unclear

as in vague

not expressed in precise terms their suggestion for correcting the problem is a bit unclear

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 In lectures and seminars, his cleft palate caused his voice to be muted and his pronunciation at times unclear. — Peter E. Gordon, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026 Whether or not this year takes the top slot in that bleak ranking is still unclear. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026 Christa Pike survived Tennessee’s attempt to execute her via lethal injection on Wednesday, but her medical and legal future remain remarkably unclear. — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026 If those rules are unclear, automation simply applies inconsistent rules across more customer conversations. — Michael Fox, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unclear

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unclear

Adjective

Okay, Noah is somehow a Manhunter, though how this came to be is left vague and almost intangible for much of the episode.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
The law includes an exception for when a pregnant person’s life is in danger, but physicians and lawyers have said the language is vague and could be interpreted differently by different doctors and hospitals.

— Ciara McCarthy October 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of vague

Adjective

In fact, mathematicians already know that knots of two or more links have ambiguous polynomials.

— Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Because a decision appears to have been made in the Salvadoran case, then paused, without any public clarification, the situation is more ambiguous.

— Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

But the numbers that could give clarity on disabled kids in foster care are harder to come by — partly because of the sometimes hazy definitions of disability but also because of the failure of child welfare providers to even count them.

— Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
As the show became a cultural juggernaut, some criticized its vigilante justice and the hazy line between law enforcement and journalism.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of hazy

Browse Nearby Words

uncleanness

unclear

uncleared

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Unclear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unclear. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of unclear

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

discreet

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes