ambiguous understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ambiguous understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where the comprehension of a concept or idea is unclear or open to multiple interpretations. Example: "The ambiguous understanding of the policy led to confusion among the employees regarding their responsibilities."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Corruption in the military and other security agencies is rooted in the government's uniquely strange and ambiguous understanding of the concept of security.

The Guardian

The parametric analyses provided insights in the operation of SOFCs and clarified some ambiguous understanding of SOFC overpotentials.

Energy Conversion and Management

Ambiguous understanding on the impacts of forest management to landscape and recreation value, deeply institutionalised norms among the forestry community, and hidden agendas may make it difficult to achieve considerable and sustainable improvements in the quality of ecosystem services.

Journal of Rural Studies

Despite the abovementioned activities and support structures, many teachers felt that both the teaching staff and students began the year with an ambiguous understanding of the school's vision, as well as the nature of the curriculum and instruction to be realized.

International Journal of STEM Education

Lack of planning prior to capacity building was also reflected by ambiguous understanding in roles and responsibilities among key stakeholders.

Global Health Action

4E-BP1, on the other hand, is subject to multisite phosphorylation culminating in the release of bound eIF4E, leading to an ambiguous understanding of which phosphorylation site(s) regulate(s) eIF4E binding.

F1000Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

We ultimately contend that these differences in definition result not merely from ambiguous understandings of safety, but from intentional and strategic choices guided by normative positions on the commercialization of human spaceflight.

Space Policy

This may be due to the ambiguous boundary understanding of MAI, while human did not delineate the concave contours according to gradient maxima.

BioMed Research International

Harrington's culture-of-poverty thesis was at best an ambiguous impediment to understanding — in later books, he made no use of the term.

The New York Times

The aim of the study was a comparison of lexical and contextual factors in understanding ambiguous words in German.

Brain and Cognition

Children in our study also had difficulty understanding ambiguous terms or phrases such as "did things" and "activities".

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ambiguous understanding", clarify what aspects are ambiguous to avoid confusion. Providing specific examples or areas of uncertainty strengthens the communication.

Common error

Don't assume the reader will automatically grasp the nature of the ambiguity. Failing to elaborate on what makes the understanding "ambiguous" can leave the reader puzzled and frustrated. Provide context or examples to illustrate the ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ambiguous understanding" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "ambiguous" modifies the noun "understanding". It describes a state of comprehension that is not clear or well-defined. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used to describe uncertainty in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ambiguous understanding" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to describe a state of comprehension that lacks clarity or precision. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It's most commonly found in science and news contexts, and while not exceedingly frequent, it serves the important purpose of highlighting areas that require further clarification. When using this phrase, providing context to specify the nature of the ambiguity enhances communication and prevents potential misinterpretations. Alternatives like "unclear understanding" or "vague comprehension" can be used depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unclear understanding

Replaces "ambiguous" with "unclear", focusing on the lack of clarity.

vague comprehension

Substitutes both words to emphasize a lack of distinctness in understanding.

uncertain grasp

Focuses on the insecure or tentative nature of the understanding.

imprecise knowledge

Highlights the lack of precision or exactness in the knowledge.

fuzzy notion

Uses a more informal term ("fuzzy") to describe the lack of clarity.

ill-defined concept

Emphasizes that the concept itself is not well-defined.

poorly understood

Highlights the inadequacy of the understanding.

tenuous perception

Suggests a weak or shaky understanding.

equivocal interpretation

Focuses on the possibility of multiple interpretations due to ambiguity.

dubious awareness

Implies a questionable or uncertain level of awareness.

FAQs

How can I use "ambiguous understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "ambiguous understanding" to describe situations where there is a lack of clarity or multiple possible interpretations of a concept. For example: "The ambiguous understanding of the new policy led to confusion among employees."

What are some alternatives to "ambiguous understanding"?

Alternatives include "unclear understanding", "vague comprehension", or "uncertain grasp". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use "ambiguous understanding" or "unclear understanding"?

Both "ambiguous understanding" and "unclear understanding" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. "Ambiguous" suggests the possibility of multiple interpretations, while "unclear" emphasizes a lack of clarity. Choose the word that best fits the specific context.

What does it mean to have an "ambiguous understanding" of something?

To have an "ambiguous understanding" of something means that your comprehension is not clear or precise, and there may be multiple possible interpretations or a lack of complete knowledge about the subject.