vague
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.not clear or specific in what is said or written.
adj.lacking precision or detail in expression; stated in indefinite terms.
Simple“The manager gave me some vague instructions, so I wasn't sure how to start the project.”
In context“The contract was criticized for its vague language, which left several key clauses open to conflicting interpretations by both parties.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.not clearly seen, felt, or remembered.
adj.lacking sharp outline or definite form; perceived or remembered indistinctly.
Simple“I have a vague memory of visiting this park when I was a very small child.”
In context“Through the thick morning mist, we could just make out the vague shape of a ship anchored in the bay.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to travel or move around without a fixed plan.
v.to wander, roam, or stray without a specific destination.
Simple“The lonely traveler continued to vague through the ancient forests of the north.”
In context“In the epic poem, the hero is destined to vague across the seas for a decade before returning to his ancestral home.”
Teacher's tipThis verbal sense is obsolete in modern speech; learners will only encounter it in historical or highly stylized literature.
“Additionally, my outcome is pretty vague – do I want to know whether zinc will prevent respiratory infections or make them less severe?”
“A Google spokesperson says the team is aware that this experience is suboptimal, and it has vague plans to improve it.”
From Middle French vague, from Latin vagus (“uncertain, vague”, literally “wandering, rambling, strolling”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.