Definition

1. Noun:
   • The quality or state of being unclear, indefinite, or imprecise in form, meaning, or character. It refers to a lack of distinctness, sharpness, or coherence.
   • An instance or expression of such unclear or indefinite quality. It can refer to a specific thing that is vague.

Usage

• Vagueness is an uncountable noun when describing the general quality of being vague.
  • The vagueness of the instructions led to confusion.
• It can be used as a countable noun when referring to specific instances or examples of vague things.
  • His answer was full of vaguenesses and contradictions.

Examples

• The vagueness of the memory made it unreliable.
• She was frustrated by the vagueness of the contract's terms.
• The politician's speech was criticized for its deliberate vagueness on key issues.
• There is a certain vagueness in the old map that makes it hard to follow.

Advanced Usage

• "A vagueness": Used to indicate a particular instance or aspect of being vague.
  • There was a troubling vagueness in his alibi.
• "The vagueness of it all": A phrase used to express frustration with a generally unclear situation.
  • I can't make a decision because of the vagueness of it all.

Variants and Related Words

• Vague (adj): Not clearly expressed, known, described, or decided.
  • He gave only a vague description of the suspect.
• Vaguely (adv): In a way that is not clear, definite, or precise.
  • I vaguely remember meeting him years ago.

Synonyms

• Indistinctness: Lack of clear outline or definition.
• Imprecision: Lack of exactness or accuracy.
• Ambiguity: The quality of being open to more than one interpretation.
• Unclearness: The state of not being easy to see, hear, or understand.
• Obscurity: The state of being unknown, inconspicuous, or unclear.

Antonyms

• Clarity: The quality of being clear and easy to understand.
• Precision: The quality of being exact and accurate.
• Distinctness: The quality of being recognizably different and clear.

Idioms and Phrases

• Lost in vagueness: To be confused or unable to understand due to a lack of clear information.
  • The explanation was so poor that I was lost in vagueness.
• A fog of vagueness: A state of great confusion and lack of clarity.
  • The new policy was shrouded in a fog of vagueness.

Noun

1. indistinctness of shape or character
   • the scene had the swirling vagueness of a painting by Turner
2. unclearness by virtue of being poorly expressed or not coherent in meaning
   • the Conservative manifesto is a model of vagueness
   • these terms were used with a vagueness that suggested little or no thought about what each might convey