vaguely

adverb

vague·​ly ˈvāg-lē 

: 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

What happens during these closing moments is as tempered and straightforward as everything that precedes them: The action boils down to a few feelings vaguely flickering across Eunice’s face—but that’s all Salles needs to deliver a final emotional hammer blow. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 Jan. 2025

While nearly everyone else is a MAGA supporter, the party is a mix of vaguely conservative recent college grads there to pop bottles and dance, a handful of old school D.C. politicos and lobbyists, and a grab bag of influencers. —Taylor Lorenz, Rolling Stone, 20 Jan. 2025

The show, created by JJ Bailey, begins in a remote (Wyoming, but wherever) and mysterious (vaguely) subterranean prison designed by somebody who once heard a reference to Jeremy Bentham’s concept of the Panopticon, but didn’t actually research it. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Jan. 2025

When perks are absent or vaguely referenced in job postings, high-value candidates may dismiss opportunities—or assume the package is less competitive. —Cynthia Pong, Jd, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above