slightly indefinite

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "slightly indefinite" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is not clearly defined or is somewhat vague. Example: "The instructions provided were slightly indefinite, leaving room for interpretation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The EFA's newly elected president Gamal Allam, has vowed to improve relations with the ultras -- a tough task that may have been slightly eased by the indefinite postponement of a resumption of professional soccer.

Huffington Post

Surprisingly, the interaction between Islam and indefinite term contract is slightly positively significant.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

Now I face two choices: Stay and tolerate a slightly improved financial situation for an indefinite period of time, or move on to a career that accurately recognizes both my needs and contributions.

Science Magazine

The share of workers covered by indefinite-term contracts has slightly declined over time from 88.7%% in 1990 to 86.9 % in 2002.

IZA Journal of Migration

Physics, astronomy's dutiful daughter, suggests that the object that people call the universe, vast though it is, may be just one of an indefinite number of similar structures, governed by slightly different rules from each other, that inhabit what is referred to, for want of a better term, as the multiverse.In this section An astonishing rebound Whose side is Brazil on?

The Economist

Although VIVID is over for this year, it looks like Sydneysiders will get to enjoy the projection permanently, with the Sydney Opera House Trust announcing today that generous private donations will help fund an indefinite continuation of the project albeit on a slightly smaller scale.

Vice

This so-called neutral scenario ([13], [16], more appositely a neutral-niche scenario) has no steady state outcomes in the analyses and simulations described here, because setting all αij = 0 (i≠j) allows indefinite expansion of S and hence also of N. A slightly less extreme neutral-niche community is modelled by setting all interspecific impacts to a common low value.

Plosone

Her eyes are slightly puffy, but otherwise she appears to be a typical Parisian woman of indefinite age, the type once referred to as B.C.B.G. (bon chic, bon genre) by the French.

The New York Times - Style

As indicated in the preceding section, analyzing the data set curated during IAT revealed that new curators might consider the definition of the four negative categories used for non-RIF sentences to be slightly unclear, and this could inconsistently distribute annotations, particularly between the 'Irrelevant' and 'Indefinite' categories.

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

Budget Living will be eclectic too -- "chic, but slightly funky," like its readers, says the media kit, as though there were an indefinite smell somewhere in the room.

The New York Times

Lighting was added to the widened tree-lined paths, the layout of trees slightly altered, a bust of Roosevelt by Jo Davidson inserted in a free-standing wall where Kahn had squiggled only some indefinite shape in his drawings.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "slightly indefinite" to express a nuanced level of uncertainty or vagueness, particularly when precision is not critical but a degree of ambiguity exists. For example: "The project timeline is "slightly indefinite" due to potential resource constraints."

Common error

Avoid using "slightly indefinite" when the situation is clearly uncertain or completely unknown. Overusing the phrase can downplay the actual level of ambiguity. Choose stronger words like "uncertain" or "unpredictable" if the situation warrants it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slightly indefinite" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, where "slightly" modifies the adjective "indefinite". Ludwig AI indicates that it's used to express a mitigated or lessened degree of being indefinite.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "slightly indefinite" is a grammatically sound adverb-adjective combination used to express a limited or qualified state of uncertainty. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it functions to soften the assertion of something being indefinite, suggesting a degree of ambiguity without complete vagueness. Although not exceedingly common, its use is considered correct across various registers, particularly in News & Media and Scientific contexts. When a more precise description is needed, alternatives like "somewhat uncertain" or "a bit vague" can be considered to express slightly different connotations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat uncertain

Replaces "indefinite" with "uncertain", indicating a degree of doubt or lack of clarity.

a bit vague

Uses "vague" instead of "indefinite", suggesting a lack of precision or detail.

marginally undefined

Employs "undefined" as a substitute, highlighting the absence of clear boundaries or limits.

relatively imprecise

Replaces "indefinite" with "imprecise", suggesting a lack of exactness or accuracy.

somewhat ambiguous

Uses "ambiguous" to indicate that the phrase is open to more than one interpretation.

a touch unclear

Employs "unclear" instead of "indefinite", suggesting a lack of clarity or understanding.

slightly undetermined

Uses "undetermined" as a substitute, highlighting that the situation or item isn't precisely known or decided.

moderately unresolved

Employs "unresolved" to indicate a state of incompleteness or lack of finality.

somewhat pending

Replaces "indefinite" with "pending", suggesting a temporary state awaiting resolution.

a little uncertain

Uses "uncertain" to convey a similar meaning, but with a slightly more informal tone.

FAQs

How can I use "slightly indefinite" in a sentence?

You can use "slightly indefinite" to describe something that is not clearly defined or somewhat vague. For example: "The terms of the agreement were "slightly indefinite", leading to some confusion."

What are some alternatives to "slightly indefinite"?

Alternatives include "somewhat uncertain", "a bit vague", or "relatively imprecise", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "slightly indefinite"?

Yes, "slightly indefinite" is grammatically correct and commonly used to express a moderate degree of uncertainty or vagueness.

When is it appropriate to use "slightly indefinite" versus "completely indefinite"?

"Slightly indefinite" suggests a minor level of ambiguity, while "completely indefinite" implies total uncertainty or a lack of definition. Use "slightly" when there's some understanding but not complete clarity, and "completely" when there's no understanding at all.