Synonyms of vaguely
: 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.
Maybe that’s why vermouth still feels vaguely stodgy to some of us. Devin Parr, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Darwin knew of him vaguely, as Wallace had written to him once before. Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026 One recruit who had recently graduated basic training only vaguely recalled Hegseth's name. Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 The language of a sociopath is very easy to have a mustached, twirly guy speaking and pontificating and vaguely threatening tropes, but to really give him a kind of humanity, vulnerability. Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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