indistinctly
indistinctly — adverb
1. used when a sound, image, or piece of information lacks sharpness, making it har
used when a sound, image, or piece of information lacks sharpness, making it hard to see, hear, or understand
Through the thick morning fog, Wen could indistinctly see the outline of a bridge.
indistinctly + see: perception verb pattern
Fatima heard the announcement indistinctly over the loudspeaker and asked a colleague to repeat it.
Vikram remembered his grandmother's face only indistinctly, as if looking through a dusty window.
The old recording was scratchy, so every word came through indistinctly and needed careful guessing.
- clearly
in a sharp, distinct manner
- distinctly
in a way that is easily perceived or understood
用法筆記
Most often used with verbs of perception or memory — see, hear, remember, recall. Unlike vaguely, which suggests a lack of detail, indistinctly describes a lack of sensory clarity.
常見錯誤
indistinctly — adjective
1. having edges or shapes that are not sharp or clear, so that an object seems to m
having edges or shapes that are not sharp or clear, so that an object seems to mix with the background rather than stand out from it
The artist painted indistinct figures that seemed to melt into the misty hills behind them.
indistinct + figure: describes visual art
Through the rain-streaked window, Oluwaseun saw only an indistinct shape moving near the garden gate.
Hana drew an indistinct outline of a bird, then filled in details with darker ink.
Diego could make out the indistinct silhouette of a cat crouched under the wooden bench.
用法筆記
Subject is usually a visual object — outline, shape, figure, or silhouette. Common in descriptions of landscapes, photographs, or distant views.
常見錯誤
2. very difficult to perceive because light is too weak or a sound has too little s
very difficult to perceive because light is too weak or a sound has too little strength to be picked up clearly
An indistinct glow came from behind the curtain, barely lighting the path to the door.
indistinct + glow: low-light context
Binta heard an indistinct rumble in the hills and wondered if a storm was coming.
Through the heavy wooden door, Tariq heard indistinct voices speaking an unfamiliar language.
Ana watched a distant ship's indistinct light as it faded into the darkness.
用法筆記
Subject is typically a physical stimulus — light, sound, or voice — that is too weak for the senses. Distinguish from BLURRED OUTLINE (sense 1), which refers to unclear visual edges rather than faint intensity.
3. not easy to recognise or understand because the nature, identity, or meaning rem
not easy to recognise or understand because the nature, identity, or meaning remains vague or poorly formed
The instructions were so indistinct that Ibrahim's team spent an hour guessing what to do.
Jing had an indistinct feeling that the meeting went badly, though nobody said so.
indistinct + feeling / idea: abstract or mental context
Xin's first memory was an indistinct image of a room with yellow curtains and sunlight.
Deepa found the politician's promises indistinct and refused to support someone with no clear plans.
用法筆記
Subject is always an abstract entity — thought, memory, idea, or feeling. Distinguish from FAINT OR DIM (sense 2), which refers to physical sensory weakness rather than conceptual lack of clarity.