# indistinct

/ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt/ (US) · /ˌɪndɪstˈɪŋkt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/indistinct
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. blurry or faint to see

adjective · CEFR B2

not clear to see because the edges are blurry or the object is far away.

For teachers: lacking a sharp outline or clear definition; visually faint or dim.

- In the distance, I could see the indistinct shape of a ship through the thick fog.
- The photographer struggled to focus on the indistinct horizon, where the grey sea merged seamlessly with the overcast sky.

### 2. muffled or unclear to hear

adjective · CEFR B2

difficult to hear or understand because the sound is not clear.

For teachers: lacking clarity of articulation; difficult to perceive or understand due to being muffled or slurred.

- We could hear the indistinct sound of voices talking in the next room.
- The recording was so old that the speaker's words were indistinct, making it impossible to transcribe the interview accurately.

### 3. vague or unclear ideas

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

not clearly defined in your mind; a feeling or memory that is not sharp.

For teachers: vague or poorly defined in concept or memory; lacking precise detail.

- I have an indistinct memory of visiting this park when I was a very small child.
- The author presents an indistinct argument for the policy change, failing to provide the specific evidence required for a formal proposal.

## Examples

- The mountains looked indistinct through the heavy morning fog.
- We could hear the indistinct sound of voices coming from the apartment next door, but we couldn't understand the words.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.