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

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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 If the answer is unclear, the layer may reflect an information architecture that AI is changing. — Keith Ferrazzi, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 Roberts appeared in court a week later, but the circumstances surrounding his earlier absence remain unclear. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 The exact reason for its removal remains unclear, and a rep for Third Man said the label wasn’t able to provide any additional insight on the matter. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2026 So, when Starlink Mobile will launch as a retail wireless carrier remains unclear. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unclear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unclear
  1. vague
  2. faint
  3. ambiguous
  4. hazy
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
  • And according to Nanayakkara, this in turn raises the possibility that even older (and fainter) FRBs have passed by Earth unnoticed.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Its exceptional transparency can reveal faint stars near the threshold of naked-eye visibility.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • Here, the movie acquires an ambiguous power, and the proceedings begin to head south.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • To reveal more of Okita’s endlessly surprising and playfully ambiguous script would be to rob audiences of the film’s numerous pleasures, which run the gamut from hearty belly-laughs to heartbreaking melodrama.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 7 Oct. 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

“Unclear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unclear. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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