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vaguement

vaguely

adverb vahg-MAHN Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Manner

Usage Note

Vaguement softens verbs and adjectives to suggest a loose or uncertain quality, much like English 'sort of' or 'faintly', as in il ressemblait vaguement à son père ('he vaguely resembled his father'). It is distinct from flottement or confusément, which emphasize confusion rather than mere approximation. The base adjective vague also means 'vague' but additionally means 'wave' as a noun.

Examples

"Je me souviens vaguement de son visage."

Natural Translation

I vaguely remember his face.

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