NEBULOUS Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

nebulous

adjective

ˈne-byə-ləs

Definition of nebulous

as in ambiguous

having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning made nebulous references to some major changes the future may hold

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in vague

not seen or understood clearly could just make out the nebulous outline of a fishing shack in the dense fog

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 nebulous The administration’s efforts, led by Vice President JD Vance, have sometimes been overestimated or nebulous. — Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 Unlike cornrows or two-strand twists, which have clear, specific definitions, goddess braids are more nebulous. — Eden Stuart, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026 There aren’t easy answers for more nebulous skills such as understanding, communication, and vision. — Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026 Though these predictions exist weeks ahead of events, their impact on preparedness is nebulous. — Vibhu Krishna, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nebulous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nebulous

Adjective

Jones, Cullen and Locke are pleased to hear how effective the ambiguous ending to Black Church Bay is.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
That’s a question for next season, but their flirtation has been built around Sid’s ambiguous motives from the beginning.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

Recent criticism The century-old restaurant guide is famous for its secrecy; its inspectors are anonymous and the company releases only vague information about their evaluation process.

— Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 20 Oct. 2026
The plaintiffs had argued those terms were vague, and that the council selectively used them to silence prominent critics, violating their First Amendment rights.

— Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of vague

Adjective

Here’s a prime example of a more cryptic style of clue that sometimes pops up in late-week puzzles.

— Sean McGowan, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Kermode was curious, if not slightly annoyed about all this cryptic communication and the request for a secret rendezvous.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

But take a walk inside and the ground is laden with faint slabs of rock, gravestones from a centuries-old Indigenous family cemetery that had been obscured by the passage of time and neglect.

— Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026
However, the light cast by the waxing moon — just four days from being full — will likely reduce the number of visible meteors by hiding fainter Orionids from sight.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of faint

Adjective

But Sung, Bennett and Miller stayed his order, finding that the California deployment could go forward under an obscure and virtually untested subsection of the law.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
The area sits within the Lake Superior clay plain, where the surrounding soil is largely composed of clay, which can make the water murky and obscure objects beneath the surface.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of obscure

Adjective

Even as the sense of a hazy disturbance in the force lingers, Burkholder’s approximately three-minute statement at least demystified some of the curious situation.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
The band frequently steers the poppy songwriting offroad by leaning into distortion and ambience, creating moments of both near-mania and hazy unease.

— Sue Park, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of hazy

Adjective

In these situations, withdrawing into a literal or symbolic dark room—avoiding sources of stress and going to a safe place—can be adaptive in the short term.

— Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Connie Britton and Sam Nivola lead the series created by Nick Paley that blends mystery, dark comedy and the awkwardness of adolescence.

— Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of dark

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“Nebulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nebulous. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of nebulous

adjective

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