vagueness
/ˈveɪɡnəs/
NOUN
1. The condition of being unclear
The state or quality of being vague, unclear, indefinite, or lacking precision in meaning, expression, or understanding.
1.1. Ambiguity and lack of clarity
The quality of statements, language, explanations, or information that are unclear, imprecise, or open to multiple interpretations.
Synonyms
- ambiguity
- ambiguousness
- indefiniteness
- equivocality
- equivocalness
- uncertainty
Antonyms
- clarity
- intelligibility
- plainness
- straightforwardness
- transparency
- understandability
Examples
- The speaker's response was filled with intentional vagueness, leaving the audience intrigued.
- In negotiations, clarity is essential, and any vagueness in the terms can lead to misunderstandings.
- The contract was criticized for its inherent vagueness, leading to disputes over contractual obligations.
- The detective noted the suspect's vagueness in answering key questions, raising suspicions during the interrogation.
Related Words
- abstruseness
- abstrusity
- cloudiness
- indirectness
- indistinctness
- obliqueness
- obscurity
- opacity
- uncertainty
1.2. Difficulty in understanding or interpretation
The quality of being difficult to comprehend, explain, or interpret because the meaning is obscure, complicated, or not readily accessible.
Synonyms
- incomprehensibility
- incomprehensibleness
- unintelligibility
- unintelligibleness
- inexplicability
- inexplicableness
- inscrutability
- inscrutableness
- unknowability
- reconditeness
- abstruseness
- abstrusity
Antonyms
- intelligibility
- understandability
- clarity
Examples
- The artist embraced the beauty of vagueness, allowing viewers to interpret the abstract painting in their own way.
Related Words
- complexity
- difficulty
- mystery
- mysteriousness
- impenetrability
- profundity
- obscurity
- unanswerability
NOUN
2. Something that is vague
An instance, feature, or quality of something that is vague, indefinite, or lacking clear definition.
2.1. Unclear or uncertain aspects
An unclear, indefinite, or uncertain element of a statement, situation, idea, or description that prevents it from being fully understood or precisely established.
Synonyms
- ambiguity
- uncertainty
- equivocality
- cloudiness
- obscurity
Antonyms
- clarity
- obviousness
- self-evidence
- transparency
Related Words
- inexplicability
- inscrutability
- mysteriousness
- murkiness
- shadowiness
- unknowability
- unanswerability
- numinousness