What does vague mean?
Vague describes something that is not clearly defined, expressed, perceived, or remembered. A person may give a vague answer, offer a vague explanation, or have only a vague recollection of an event. The word can refer to practical imprecision, as in a description that lacks useful details, or to perceptual indistinctness, as in a shape or sound seen or heard through mist or memory. It often suggests that a subject has boundaries or features that cannot be identified confidently, without necessarily implying that anything is false. In everyday criticism, calling someone's response vague may imply evasiveness or deliberate avoidance of specifics. Vague is related historically to the Latin word vagus, meaning wandering or straying, and shares that origin with words such as vagrant, vagabond, and vagary. It is a useful general term for describing language, impressions, and perceptions that lack enough clarity to be precise.
adjectiveNot clearly defined, understood, or expressed; lacking precision and specificity. It can also describe something indistinct in appearance, sound, memory, or perception.
- Lacking precise definition, detail, or clarity of meaning.
- Not clearly perceived or remembered; indistinct in outline, sound, or appearance.
- Uncertain or unsettled in outline or character.
"Her recollection of the evening was too vague to identify where they had gone."
"The witness gave a vague description of the suspect."
"A vague recollection of childhood holidays is often a sign that a memory has been reconstructed over time."
Vague began with the Latin idea of wandering: its ancestor, vagus, originally meant moving from place to place before coming to describe ideas that fail to settle into a definite shape.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vague come from?
English vague comes through French vague, ultimately from Latin vagus, meaning wandering, straying, or diffuse. The adjective entered English in the late 16th century, initially carrying the sense of wandering or straying before developing its modern meanings of indistinct and imprecise. Related English words include vagrant, vagabond, and vagary, which continue forms of the Latin root associated with wandering; extravagant also preserves the idea of going beyond bounds.
Related word forms
How vague is actually used
Vague is neutral in many contexts, but it can sound dismissive when used to describe someone's account, conduct, or intentions: calling an explanation vague implies that it is evasive as well as imprecise.