ill-defined

[ il-di-fahynd ]

adjective

1. badly or inadequately defined; vague:

   He confuses the reader with ill-defined terms and concepts.

ill-defined

adjective

1. imperfectly defined; having no clear outline

Word History and Origins

Origin of ill-defined¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Contract marriages fall into the broader and ill-defined category of unregistered religious unions, which are widespread in many Muslim-majority nations and pose a conundrum to governments — especially when it comes to protecting young girls.

From Los Angeles Times

Her then-presidential candidacy quickly fell flat as she failed to distinguish herself in a crowded Democratic field and her campaign was hobbled by staff infighting and ill-defined messaging.

From Los Angeles Times

And West Virginia’s HB 5319 is similar, levying a felony charge against anyone exposing first responders “to opioids,” resulting in any one of an ill-defined array of effects, including “any impairment of physical condition.”

From Salon

The title character has "ill-defined powers and nothing especially interesting to do", he added.

From BBC

More recently, he was involved in a casino deal and currently has an ill-defined role with a small defense company.

From New York Times

Related Words

• murky
• unclear
• vague