# vague

/ˈveɪɡ/ (US) · /vˈeɪɡ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vague
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. unclear communication

adjective · CEFR B2

not clear or specific in what is said or written.

For teachers: lacking precision or detail in expression; stated in indefinite terms.

- The manager gave me some vague instructions, so I wasn't sure how to start the project.
- The contract was criticized for its vague language, which left several key clauses open to conflicting interpretations by both parties.

### 2. indistinct or hazy

adjective · CEFR B2

not clearly seen, felt, or remembered.

For teachers: lacking sharp outline or definite form; perceived or remembered indistinctly.

- I have a vague memory of visiting this park when I was a very small child.
- Through the thick morning mist, we could just make out the vague shape of a ship anchored in the bay.

### 5. to wander

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

to travel or move around without a fixed plan.

For teachers: to wander, roam, or stray without a specific destination.

- The lonely traveler continued to vague through the ancient forests of the north.
- In the epic poem, the hero is destined to vague across the seas for a decade before returning to his ancestral home.

Teaching tip: This verbal sense is obsolete in modern speech; learners will only encounter it in historical or highly stylized literature.

## Examples

- His answer was very vague and didn't help me.
- The contract used vague language that made it difficult to determine who was responsible for the repairs.
- The witness provided a vague description of the suspect, noting only that he wore a dark jacket and appeared to be of average height.

---

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.