vaguely

adverb

vague·​ly ˈvāg-lē How to pronounce vaguely (audio)
: in a vague way: such as
a
: somewhat or slightly
He's vaguely familiar with the area.
… men on foot, dressed vaguely like janitors …A. L. Kennedy
b
: not clearly
There were grants, he explained vaguely, that had to be spent before the money went back to the federal government, so my main job was to buy lavish art books, as quickly as possible.Michael Blaine
Where once the city was a battleground for two main militias … now at least five militias claim vaguely defined pockets as their own.Jeffrey Bartholet
I've always believed closers are like girlfriends: You remember the great ones, you remember the awful ones and you vaguely remember everyone in between. (You could say the same about hockey goalies and field goal kickers.)Bill Simmons

Examples of vaguely in a Sentence

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.
At 38 years old, Jordan is young, Black, charismatic, vaguely political but not divisively militant — an ideal assuager for the terminally image-conscious film industry’s post–George Floyd anxieties. Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 2 June 2025 Instead of being a vaguely fascist aryan masculinity cult like the iconic Cobra Kai, Connor’s dojo is run by mobsters and loan sharks. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 28 May 2025 Padres players, many of whom were born after Pearl Jam’s heyday, seemed only vaguely aware of the Vedder Cup. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2025 Whether a reaction to the third film’s box office or to the controversies that have surrounded Cruise’s personal life for decades, Ethan went from romantic lead to vaguely asexual. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for vaguely

Word History

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vaguely was in 1663

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Cite this Entry

“Vaguely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaguely. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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