vague

Vague is an adjective meaning not clearly expressed, defined, or determined; lacking clear boundaries or precise meaning. It can refer to statements, plans, memories, or descriptions that are imprecise or general.

The word comes from Latin vagus, meaning wandering, via Old French vague. In English, its sense broadened to describe language that is not specific or definite.

Vague is often distinguished from ambiguous and unclear. Ambiguous means having more than one plausible interpretation; vague refers to a lack of specificity or precision; unclear means not easily understood.

In everyday use, vague statements leave details open or uncertain, such as a vague plan to “meet later” or a vague memory “from long ago.” In writing and law, vagueness can be undesirable; strategies to counter it include defining terms, outlining boundaries, and specifying conditions.

In philosophy and linguistics, vagueness is the study of how natural language allows borderline cases and indeterminate boundaries. The Sorites paradox illustrates difficulties in drawing sharp cutoffs for vague predicates.

Related topics include vagueness in philosophy, ambiguity, and hedges.