not completely clear

USAGE SUMMARY

"not completely clear" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when expressing uncertainty or ambiguity about a statement or situation. For example, "The instructions were not completely clear, leading to confusion." Alternative expressions include "somewhat unclear" and "not entirely clear."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But the picture is not completely clear.

The New York Times - Health

But that is not completely clear.

The New York Times

Even the ordinance in question is not completely clear.

The New York Times

The mystery behind this chamber is still not completely clear.

The Guardian

Furthermore, it is not completely clear what he is promising.

The New York Times

Now, the science here still is not completely clear.

The New York Times

The origin of the older crust is not completely clear.

Encyclopedia Britannica

What Sobchak's movement, All Free, stands for is not completely clear.

The Guardian

The structure of the cult's leadership was not completely clear, members said.

The New York Times

However, their genesis and distribution are not completely clear.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

The mechanism of alcohol ablation is not completely clear.

Insights into Imaging

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific writing, this phrase is excellent for introducing the 'problem statement' or identifying a research gap without sounding overly dismissive of previous work.

Common error

Do not pair this phrase with other uncertainty markers like 'it seems that it is not completely clear'. Choose one level of hedging to maintain professional authority. Additionally, ensure the subject of the sentence is the information itself, not your own confusion, unless you are writing a personal reflection.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not completely clear" functions as a negative adverbial phrase modifying the adjective 'clear'. It serves as a qualifier that limits the scope of clarity, suggesting a state of partial understanding. As noted in the Ludwig AI database, it often acts as a predicate adjective following a linking verb (e.g., 'the reason is...').

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

68%

News & Media

22%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "not completely clear" is an essential phrase for writers who need to navigate the gray areas of knowledge. Ludwig AI confirms its high frequency in academic and scientific literature, where it serves to highlight research gaps or complex biological mechanisms. It is a more nuanced alternative to simply saying something is 'unclear', as it implies that some information is available even if the full picture is missing. Whether you are writing a scientific paper for a journal like Springer or a news report for The New York Times, this phrase provides a professional way to balance certainty with caution. When using it, ensure that the surrounding context supports what specifically is known versus what remains to be discovered.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not entirely clear

Highly interchangeable with a slight shift toward the completeness of understanding

not abundantly clear

A slightly more emphatic way to describe a lack of obviousness

somewhat ambiguous

Suggests that the subject has multiple possible interpretations

not fully understood

Common in scientific contexts to denote a gap in existing knowledge

not quite certain

Shifts the focus from the object's clarity to the observer's confidence

not perfectly evident

Focuses on the visual or logical obviousness of a situation

remains murky

More idiomatic and visual, often used in journalistic storytelling

lacks complete transparency

Often used in administrative or political contexts regarding information sharing

open to interpretation

Suggests that while clear to some, the meaning is not fixed

partially obscured

Emphasizes that something is hidden rather than just poorly explained

FAQs

What can I say instead of "not completely clear"?

Depending on your context, you can use phrases such as "<a href="/s/not+entirely+clear" target="_blank" rel="alternative">not entirely clear", "<a href="/s/ambiguous" target="_blank" rel="alternative">ambiguous" or "<a href="/s/not+fully+understood" target="_blank" rel="alternative">not fully understood".

Is "not completely clear" correct and professional?

Yes, it is a standard, professional phrase. Ludwig AI shows it is widely used in peer-reviewed scientific journals and high-quality journalism to denote partial understanding.

What is the difference between "not completely clear" and "not entirely clear"?

In most cases, they are perfectly interchangeable. However, "<a href="/s/not+entirely+clear" target="_blank" rel="alternative">not entirely clear" is slightly more common in general news, while "not completely clear" is frequently seen in technical or scientific descriptions of mechanisms.

Should I use "not completely clear" or "unclear"?

Use "<a href="/s/unclear" target="_blank" rel="alternative">unclear" for a total lack of clarity. Use "not completely clear" when you want to signal that some parts are understood but others remain mysterious or "<a href="/s/partially+clear" target="_blank" rel="alternative">partially clear".