What does "nebulous" mean?
In the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.
Nebulous
/ˈnɛbjʊləs/ adj
adj ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: In the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.
- Grammar: nebulous is listed as adj.
- Nearest alternatives: cloudy, abstract, ambiguous, amorphous.
- Useful contrasts: clear, noncloudy, unclouded.
- Usage evidence: Slowly she disappeared in the nebulous woods.
How to use "nebulous"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "nebulous" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "nebulous" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "nebulous" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "nebulous" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "nebulous" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cloudy" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "nebulous", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 In the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.
- 2 Vague or ill-defined.
"The magistrate could not possibly, on the evidence, have held them for a higher court. On the one hand the compositors and pressmen were forced to admit that the light was uncertain, that they were themselves much perturbed, and that it was difficult for them to swear to the identity of the assailants; although they believed that the accused were among them. Cross examined by the clever attorney who had been engaged by McGinty, they were even more nebulous in their evidence."
- 3 Relating to a nebula or nebulae.
Adjective
- 1 lacking definition or definite content wordnet
- 2 lacking definite form or limits wordnet
- 3 of or relating to or resembling a nebula wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Slowly she disappeared in the nebulous woods."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "nebulous"?
Common synonyms include: cloudy, abstract, ambiguous, amorphous, amorphous solid, anagalactic.
How do you use "nebulous" in a sentence?
Slowly she disappeared in the nebulous woods.
How do you pronounce "nebulous"?
Pronounced /ˈnɛbjʊləs/.
Etymology
From Middle English, from Middle French nebuleus, from Latin nebulōsus (“full of mist, foggy, cloudy”), from nebula (“mist, vapour, cloud”), from Proto-Indo-European *nébʰos (“cloud, vapor, fog, moist, sky”). Cognates *Ancient Greek νέφος (néphos, “cloud”) *German Nebel **Old High German nebul (“cloud, fog”) *Old English nifol, neowol (“dark, gloomy, obscure, precipitous, prone”) by surface analysis, nebula + -ous. More at neveling, nuel.