deliberately fuzzy

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "deliberately fuzzy" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is intentionally vague or unclear, often to avoid giving a precise answer or to create ambiguity. Example: "The politician's response was deliberately fuzzy, leaving many questions unanswered about his stance on the issue."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Russia's federal agency for supervising communications, Roskomnadzor, blacklisted sites under a deliberately fuzzy law prohibiting "extremism".

The Guardian - Books

With its deliberately fuzzy, hand-held amateurishness of a Blair Witch Project kind, V/H/S is a hit-and-miss affair.

The Guardian - Film

Angelou was deliberately fuzzy about the number of husbands she had.

Los Angeles Times

Measures of their job success are deliberately fuzzy in order to keep them perpetually on edge.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

In between is an extended treatment of the events between the news of Diana's death and the funeral at Westminster Abbey, in which dramatic recreations and newsreel footage are intertwined, with some of the scenes deliberately given the fuzzy, stratified texture of blown-up video film.

The Guardian - Film

Square markers are deliberately drawn large with fuzzy boundaries to represent uncertainty in both timings and magnitudes in a qualitative way.

Geoscience Letters

Currently, the President is touting his "clear skies" initiative ��� a regulatory program that, in spite of its ecologically fuzzy title, was deliberately devised to allow older power plants to pollute more freely.

The New Yorker

It's impossible to say very precisely what would be saved: all the numbers are fuzzy, and the Pentagon is deliberately opaque about what it really intends to do if we leave planning to them.

Huffington Post

He describes what struck him — especially at Documenta, a roughly $20 million undertaking held every five years in Kassel — as poorly constructed, deliberately controversial work, paired with artist statements that threw around fuzzy, self-important words like "diaspora" and "postmodern".

The New York Times - Magazine

In fuzzy control, the process of automated control is deliberately based on using heuristic and experiential knowledge.

Journal of Economic Structures

This is about as fuzzy a set of criteria as one could wish for, and deliberately so.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "deliberately fuzzy", ensure the context makes it clear who is creating the fuzziness and why. This avoids confusion and strengthens your point.

Common error

Avoid using "deliberately fuzzy" when the lack of clarity is due to genuine confusion or lack of information, rather than a conscious choice to be vague. Accurately assess the intent behind the fuzziness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "deliberately fuzzy" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying a noun to indicate that its vagueness or lack of clarity is intentional. As Ludwig indicates, it characterizes something as intentionally lacking precision. For example, "deliberately fuzzy law" or "deliberately fuzzy job success".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "deliberately fuzzy" is a grammatically sound adverb-adjective combination used to describe something intentionally vague or unclear. As Ludwig states, it's often employed to express criticism or suspicion about the intentions behind the lack of precision. Although relatively rare, as per Ludwig analysis, its use is most common in news and media contexts. When writing, it's important to ensure you're accurately attributing intentionality and that the context warrants such a critical perspective. Alternatives like "intentionally vague" or "purposely ambiguous" may be more suitable depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intentionally vague

Replaces "deliberately" with "intentionally", emphasizing the planned nature of the vagueness.

purposely ambiguous

Substitutes "fuzzy" with "ambiguous", highlighting the intentional creation of uncertainty.

consciously unclear

Replaces "fuzzy" with "unclear", stressing the awareness of the lack of clarity.

designed to be vague

Emphasizes the designed or planned aspect of the vagueness, shifting from adverb + adjective to a verb phrase.

calculatedly imprecise

Highlights the careful calculation behind the lack of precision.

artificially blurred

Implies that the fuzziness is not natural, but rather a manufactured effect.

strategically obscure

Focuses on the strategic advantage gained by being obscure.

meant to be indefinite

Highlights the intent behind the indefinite nature of something.

with studied ambiguity

Indicates a deliberate and careful cultivation of ambiguity.

willfully indefinite

Emphasizes the determination and intent to be indefinite.

FAQs

How can I use "deliberately fuzzy" in a sentence?

You can use "deliberately fuzzy" to describe a concept, law, or statement that is intentionally vague or unclear. For example, "The regulations were "deliberately fuzzy" to allow for flexibility in enforcement."

What's a situation where using "deliberately fuzzy" is appropriate?

It's appropriate when describing a policy or communication where precision is avoided intentionally, perhaps to accommodate different interpretations or to avoid committing to a specific course of action. An example would be: "The contract's terms were "deliberately fuzzy" to allow renegotiation later."

What are some alternative phrases to "deliberately fuzzy"?

Alternatives include "intentionally vague", "purposely ambiguous", or "consciously unclear", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What implications does using "deliberately fuzzy" suggest?

Using "deliberately fuzzy" often implies that the lack of clarity is strategic, possibly to obscure the real intent or to provide wiggle room. It suggests a level of calculation behind the ambiguity. It differs, for example, from something that is accidentally unclear.