nebulous

adjective

neb·u·lous ˈne-byə-ləs How to pronounce nebulous (audio)

: of, relating to, or resembling a nebula : nebular

: indistinct, vague

… this nebulous thing called jazz.

Josef Woodard

… the nebulous region between mere suspicion and probable cause

W. R. LaFave & J. H. Israel

The plan is too nebulous.

nebulously adverb

nebulousness noun

Did you know?

Nebulous may sound other-worldly—after all, it’s related to nebula, which refers to a distant galaxy or an interstellar cloud of gas or dust—but its mysteriousness is rooted in more earthly unknowns. Both words ultimately come from Latin nebula, meaning “mist, cloud,” and as far back as the 14th century nebulous could mean simply “cloudy” or “foggy.” Nebulous has since the late 17th century been the adjective correlating to nebula (as in “nebulous gas”), but the word is more familiar in its figurative use, where it describes things that are indistinct or vague, as when Jack London wrote of “ideas that were nebulous at best and that in reality were remembered sensations.”

Example Sentences

These philosophical concepts can be nebulous. made nebulous references to some major changes the future may hold

Recent Examples on the Web Leaving the consequences nebulous and undefined is a recipe for horror.

WSJ, 15 Sep. 2022 Riot grrrl was always a nebulous concept, a label intended to be adopted and personalized by young feminist punks globally.

Annie Fell, SPIN, 1 Sep. 2022 But simple bungling of data can end up looking quite a bit like fabrication; indeed, the demarcation line is rather nebulous.

David Robert Grimes, The Atlantic, 29 July 2022 But in comparison with other positions in the theater industry, the pathways to becoming a producer vary wildly and tend to be notably nebulous.

Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2022 Corporates, countries and bankers are continuing to announce nebulous 2050 goals, with little detail.

Felicia Jackson, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2021 More broadly, however, the real impetus for Salesforce peeling back the curtain on its accessibility efforts is simply that, despite the industry’s ever-burgeoning embrace, accessibility remains very much a nebulous idea to the majority.

Steven Aquino, Forbes, 3 June 2022 Zuckerberg has pitched the still-nebulous metaverse as the next iteration of our digital experience, one that will eventually replace the smartphone and personal computer.

Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2022 One qualm is that the existing laws governing the dignity realm are said to be somewhat nebulous and overly malleable, thus not well-tuned to the specific legal construct of a right of exception.

Lance Eliot, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 See More

单词	nebulously
释义	nebulous adjective neb·u·lous ˈne-byə-ləs 1 : of, relating to, or resembling a nebula : nebular 2 : indistinct, vague … this nebulous thing called jazz. Josef Woodard … the nebulous region between mere suspicion and probable cause W. R. LaFave & J. H. Israel The plan is too nebulous. nebulously adverb nebulousness noun Did you know? Nebulous may sound other-worldly—after all, it’s related to nebula, which refers to a distant galaxy or an interstellar cloud of gas or dust—but its mysteriousness is rooted in more earthly unknowns. Both words ultimately come from Latin nebula, meaning “mist, cloud,” and as far back as the 14th century nebulous could mean simply “cloudy” or “foggy.” Nebulous has since the late 17th century been the adjective correlating to nebula (as in “nebulous gas”), but the word is more familiar in its figurative use, where it describes things that are indistinct or vague, as when Jack London wrote of “ideas that were nebulous at best and that in reality were remembered sensations.” Synonyms ambiguous arcane cryptic dark deep Delphic double-edged elliptical elliptic enigmatic enigmatical equivocal fuliginous inscrutable murky mysterious mystic obscure occult opaque See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences These philosophical concepts can be nebulous. made nebulous references to some major changes the future may hold Recent Examples on the Web Leaving the consequences nebulous and undefined is a recipe for horror. WSJ, 15 Sep. 2022 Riot grrrl was always a nebulous concept, a label intended to be adopted and personalized by young feminist punks globally. Annie Fell, SPIN, 1 Sep. 2022 But simple bungling of data can end up looking quite a bit like fabrication; indeed, the demarcation line is rather nebulous. David Robert Grimes, The Atlantic, 29 July 2022 But in comparison with other positions in the theater industry, the pathways to becoming a producer vary wildly and tend to be notably nebulous. Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2022 Corporates, countries and bankers are continuing to announce nebulous 2050 goals, with little detail. Felicia Jackson, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2021 More broadly, however, the real impetus for Salesforce peeling back the curtain on its accessibility efforts is simply that, despite the industry’s ever-burgeoning embrace, accessibility remains very much a nebulous idea to the majority. Steven Aquino, Forbes, 3 June 2022 Zuckerberg has pitched the still-nebulous metaverse as the next iteration of our digital experience, one that will eventually replace the smartphone and personal computer. Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2022 One qualm is that the existing laws governing the dignity realm are said to be somewhat nebulous and overly malleable, thus not well-tuned to the specific legal construct of a right of exception. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 3 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Latin nebulosus misty, from nebula First Known Use 1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition nebulous adjective neb·u·lous ˈne-byə-ləs : not clear : vague nebulously adverb as in vaguely Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance vaguely indeterminately narrowly inadequately sketchily imperfectly summarily shallowly cursorily haphazardly randomly aimlessly desultorily superficially hit or miss Antonyms & Near Antonyms systematically fully completely sweepingly exhaustively minutely comprehensively totally thoroughly roundly inside out microscopically detailedly meticulously intensively all out through and through full blast See More
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nebulous

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adverb