ENGLISH
REFERENCE

indistinct

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt// UK //ˌɪndɪstˈɪŋkt// in·dis·tinct

adj. not clear or easy to see, hear, or remember. You use this when something is blurry or faint, like a sound in the distance or a fuzzy photo.

adj. lacking clarity or sharp definition; not clearly delineated or distinguishable. Often used to describe sensory perceptions like sight and sound or abstract concepts like memories.


SIMPLE

The mountains looked indistinct through the heavy morning fog.

CONTEXTUAL

We could hear the indistinct sound of voices coming from the apartment next door, but we couldn't understand the words.

COMPLEX

The witness provided only an indistinct description of the suspect, noting that the low light and distance made it impossible to discern specific facial features.

Antonyms
Origin

From Middle French indistinct, from Latin indistinctus. English equivalent in- + distinct.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'remain' or 'become', or attributively before nouns like 'shape', 'memory', or 'sound'.

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