UNCLEAR 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

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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

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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 Resilience workshops don't repair unclear roles or inconsistent leadership. — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 What negotiations the county was ending was unclear, as Mecklenburg County didn’t elaborate. — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2026 Whether the Office of Disciplinary Counsel opens a formal investigation into Sooknanan remains unclear. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2026 Any plan for data retention policies remains troublingly unclear, and there’s seemingly been no privacy impact assessment weighing the privacy implications of centralizing so much sensitive data in the White House, the Guardian reported. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unclear

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unclear

Adjective

There’s no reason to think, for example, that decisions made by political appointees based on vague standards would be any more transparent than those made by peer reviewers based on scientific merit.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
American Mission’s partnership with the company, as well as the ads’ vague message about Donalds, exemplify the opaque nature of the AI industry’s spending in the 2026 election cycle.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026

Definition of vague

Adjective

Vermeule—a former clerk for Scalia—proposes that conservatives should read the Constitution’s ambiguous phrases and general structure in an openly moral way, drawing on principles grounded in the nature and purposes of government.

— Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
Without a unified, clean, and accessible data structure, AI outputs quickly become ambiguous, hallucinated, and diluted, deepening the clarity crisis rather than resolving it.

— Ali Hoss, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of ambiguous

Adjective

In fact, the iconic band of hazy light known as the galactic center should routinely be visible for a few more months across the United States – and the rest of the northern hemisphere – arcing across the night sky.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Go for the bold, unique brews, like the Blizzard of ’67 (named after an infamous winter storm), a hazy triple IPA with orange, pineapple, and mango notes.

— Midwest Living, Midwest Living, 1 July 2026

Definition of hazy

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uncleanness

unclear

uncleared

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Style

“Unclear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unclear. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of unclear

adjective

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