ENGLISH
REFERENCE

unclear

adj.
B1 Intermediate US //ənˈkɫɪɹ// UK //ʌnklˈiə// un·clear Archaic

adj. difficult to see, hear, or understand. You use this when something is confusing or not bright enough to see well.

adj. lacking clarity or distinctness; difficult to perceive or comprehend. Often used to describe ambiguous instructions or poor visibility.


SIMPLE

The instructions for the new game are very unclear.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager's email was so unclear that half the team started working on the wrong project.

COMPLEX

While the general goals of the treaty were agreed upon, the specific timeline for implementation remained unclear, leading to further diplomatic tension.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English unclere, equivalent to un- + clear. Compare Saterland Frisian uunkloor (“unclear”), West Frisian ûnklear (“inoperative, broken”), Dutch onklaar (“out of order, defective, broken”), German unklar (“unclear”), Danish uklar (“unclear”), Swedish oklar (“unclear”).

Usage

Commonly used with the verb 'to be' or 'to remain'.

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