unclear

adjective

un·​clear ˌən-ˈklir 

: not clear: such as

a

: difficult to understand

an unclear explanation

unclear instructions

an unclear reference

b

: confused or uncertain about something

—often used with about

was a little unclear about how to proceed

unclearly adverb

speaking unclearly

an unclearly remembered incident

Synonyms

• vague
• ambiguous

Examples of unclear in a Sentence

their suggestion for correcting the problem is a bit unclear

obtained at best an unclear glimpse of the rarely seen bird from across the road

Recent Examples on the Web

But the path to controlling it often feels unclear or overwhelming. —Dan Galorath, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

The exact timing of the disruption is unclear, so the potential aurora borealis could be visible any time between 11pm on Aug. 7 through Aug. 9. —Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2025

What dropping the investigation means for Chicago remains unclear. —Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025

Senate leaders have yet to publicly post three sets of community project reports, so the full scope of potential funding for Wisconsin remains unclear. —Lawrence Andrea, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing unclear

• unclear on the concept of

Rhymes for unclear

• adhere
• ameer
• amir
• appear
• arrear
• astir
• austere
• career
• cashier
• cohere
• compere
• emir