unclear

adjective

un·​clear ˌən-ˈklir How to pronounce unclear (audio)
: not clear: such as
a
: difficult to understand
an unclear explanation
unclear instructions
an unclear reference
b
: confused or uncertain about something
often used with about
was a little unclear about how to proceed
unclearly adverb
speaking unclearly
an unclearly remembered incident

Examples of unclear in a Sentence

their suggestion for correcting the problem is a bit unclear obtained at best an unclear glimpse of the rarely seen bird from across the road
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, details of the training—including its content and duration—remain unclear. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025 Sit down with small groups, and ask what’s unclear, what feels off, where the friction is. Alex Brueckmann, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 The lawyer said that Jackson was not involved in a fight and the cause of his death is unclear. Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 15 July 2025 That said, Zhang cautioned that the growth outlook for the second half of 2025 remained unclear, as exporters' frontloading momentum could fade out, reiterating the need for Chinese authorities to roll out fresh fiscal stimulus to cushion the economy from the impact from U.S. tariffs. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for unclear

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unclear was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Unclear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unclear. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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