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indistinctness

indistinctness

7.0
Lack of clear detail that makes things hard to see or hear
  • noun
  • /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋktnəs/
translation icon : indistinción
  • Thus, I went to bed, and in a short time, woke and sat up, as has been long my custom, when I felt a confusion and indistinctness in my head, which lasted, I suppose, about half a minute.

Examples

  • The past is precisely that which is beyond resurrection, possibly even recognition, as Johann Joachim Winckelmann well knew: "We have ... nothing but the shadowy outline left of the object of our wishes, but that very indistinctness awakens only a more earnest longing for what we have lost....

    Academic text (2002)
  • And and Milton's interest in moments of blurriness and a visual indistinctness suggests that the distinction between good and evil is is actually never that clear.

  • The very indistinctness of Bruyas's accessory, its resistance to identification, constituted a silent challenge to the patron's power.

    Academic text (2004)
  • The photographer struggled to capture the scene due to the indistinctness of the fog.

  • The artist embraced the indistinctness in her paintings, allowing viewers to interpret their own meanings.

  • In his speech, the indistinctness of his words made it difficult for the audience to understand his message.

Synonyms

vagueness
vsindistinctness
8 6.1

Lack of clear or exact meaning that makes things hard to understand

applies to lack of sharp physical outlines, not only unclear ideas
softness
vsindistinctness
5 2.5

A gentle light or view with blurred edges

suggests lack of sharp outlines rather than a gentle visual tone
blurriness
vsindistinctness
2 4.5

A lack of clear detail in what you see or in a picture

focuses on general lack of sharp outlines beyond just image detail
opacity
vsindistinctness
2 8.3

How hard something is to understand because it is unclear

focuses on visual or physical lack of sharp outlines rather than only abstract confusion
fuzziness
vsindistinctness
2 5.8

A blurry picture or idea hard to see and understand

emphasizes absence of sharp outlines rather than gentle visual quality
formlessness
vsindistinctness
1 7.2

The state of having no clear shape or structure

relates to lack of sharp outlines rather than complete absence of shape
fogginess
vsindistinctness
1 4.4

A feeling of being confused and slow to think

is about lack of clear outlines in general rather than only due to cloudiness
obscurity
vsindistinctness
1 6.9

Dark or dim so things are hard to see

covers lack of sharp outlines for any reason, not only poor illumination
imperceptibility
vsindistinctness
1 9.5

A state of being very hard to notice

denotes lack of clear outlines yet can still be noticed, not completely unnoticed
indecipherability
vsindistinctness
1 9.9

A difficulty understanding handwriting, signs, or codes

applies to unclear physical outlines rather than unreadable codes or text
unsharpness
vsindistinctness
6.7

Lack of clear detail that makes pictures or thoughts hard to understand

highlights unclear outlines across senses not only poor focus
dullness
vsindistinctness
2.3

A blade that is not sharp

describes lack of definite outlines not only bluntness of form
unclarity
vsindistinctness
7.5

A cloudy state in water or a photo that makes it hard to see through

applies to unclear outlines generally beyond liquids or images
indistinction
vsindistinctness
8.6

Not clearly separate from something else

focuses on missing sharp outlines rather than only separation between items
unclearness
vsindistinctness
7.7

A situation when something is hard to understand

is about visual lack of sharp outlines rather than only mental clarity
indefinity
vsindistinctness
9.9

The state of being vague or not clear

refers to unclear outlines in form rather than abstract vagueness
indeterminateness
vsindistinctness
9.9

A situation where meaning is not clear or exact

is more about physical lack of sharp outlines than general vagueness
indetermination
vsindistinctness
9.5

A lack of clear or exact meaning

focuses on unclear visual boundaries rather than abstract indefinition
obscureness
vsindistinctness
7.9

Darkness or low light that makes things hard to see

is the general lack of clear outlines rather than only low light problems
indiscernibility
vsindistinctness
9.9

A state in which something is impossible to see or tell apart

is milder and refers to unclear outlines rather than being wholly undetectable
amorphousness
vsindistinctness
7.8

A quality of having no clear shape, form, or character

is about unclear edges or outlines rather than complete lack of definite form
shapelessness
vsindistinctness
6.1

A lack of any clear form, for example in ideas or art

refers to lack of sharp outlines rather than total absence of shape

Antonyms

30 2.7

How easy it is to see through something like clean water

1 5.5

How clear and easy to recognize a shape or sound is

How Clear

clarity
152 3.0
indistinctness
7.0
blurriness
2 4.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

indistinctness = indistinct (transparent) = in + distinct + ness

This is a standard noun formation from the adjective 'indistinct', meaning the state or quality of being indistinct.

Etymology

Indistinctness comes from the parts in- meaning 'not' and distinct meaning 'separate' or 'standing apart', the same root you see in distinguish. So indistinctness is literally 'not separate' — a lack of clear edges or features, which is why it means being unclear or hard to see or hear.