Ambiguity vs Vague - What's the difference?
ambiguity | vague |
(countable) Something, particulary words and sentences, that is open to more than one interpretation, explanation or meaning, if that meaning etc cannot be determined from its context.
(uncountable) The state of being ambiguous.
Not clearly expressed; stated in indefinite terms.
*
*2004: , Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage
*:Throughout the first week of his presidency, Dulles and Bissell continued to brief Kennedy on their strategy for Cuba, but the men were vague and their meetings offered little in the way of hard facts.
Not having a precise meaning.
:
Not clearly defined, grasped, or understood; indistinct; slight.
:
Not clearly felt or sensed; somewhat subconscious.
:
Not thinking or expressing one’s thoughts clearly or precisely.
Lacking expression; vacant.
Not sharply outlined; hazy.
*{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Michael Arlen), title=
, passage=He walked. To the corner of Hamilton Place and Picadilly, and there stayed for a while, for it is a romantic station by night. The vague and careless rain looked like threads of gossamer silver passing across the light of the arc-lamps.}}
Wandering; vagrant; vagabond.
*Sir (c.1564-1627)
*:to set upon the vague villains
*(John Keats) (1795-1821)
*:She danced along with vague , regardless eyes.
(obsolete) A wandering; a vagary.
An indefinite expanse.
* Lowell
To wander; to roam; to stray.
* Holland
As a noun ambiguity
is (countable) something, particulary words and sentences, that is open to more than one interpretation, explanation or meaning, if that meaning etc cannot be determined from its context.As a verb vague is
.ambiguity
English
(wikipedia ambiguity)Noun
- His speech was made with such great ambiguity that neither supporter nor opponent could be certain of his true position.
Synonyms
* (state of being ambiguous) ambiguousness, imprecisionAntonyms
* unambiguityvague
English
Adjective
(er)“Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days, chapter=Ep./1/2
Synonyms
* obscure * ambiguousNoun
(en noun)- (Holinshed)
- The gray vague of unsympathizing sea.
Verb
(vagu)- [The soul] doth vague and wander.