indistinct
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
not clear to see because the edges are blurry or the object is far away.
lacking a sharp outline or clear definition; visually faint or dim.
Simple“In the distance, I could see the indistinct shape of a ship through the thick fog.”
In context“The photographer struggled to focus on the indistinct horizon, where the grey sea merged seamlessly with the overcast sky.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
difficult to hear or understand because the sound is not clear.
lacking clarity of articulation; difficult to perceive or understand due to being muffled or slurred.
Simple“We could hear the indistinct sound of voices talking in the next room.”
In context“The recording was so old that the speaker's words were indistinct, making it impossible to transcribe the interview accurately.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
not clearly defined in your mind; a feeling or memory that is not sharp.
vague or poorly defined in concept or memory; lacking precise detail.
Simple“I have an indistinct memory of visiting this park when I was a very small child.”
In context“The author presents an indistinct argument for the policy change, failing to provide the specific evidence required for a formal proposal.”
“We also found some rare rounded tracks with four or five indistinct digits, which might belong to ankylosaurian ("armored") dinosaurs .”
From Middle French indistinct, from Latin indistinctus. English equivalent in- + distinct.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.