Woolly describes something covered in wool or something that looks and feels like wool: thick, soft, and fuzzy. A sheep has a woolly coat that keeps it warm through cold winters. You might wear a woolly sweater on a chilly day, feeling its soft, textured warmth against your skin.

The word also describes fuzzy or unclear thinking. When someone's explanation is woolly, their ideas are muddled and hard to follow, like trying to see through thick fog. A student might give a woolly answer on an essay test, writing sentences that sound impressive but don't actually explain anything clearly. Scientists and teachers value precise thinking over woolly reasoning.

You might hear the phrase woolly mammoth, referring to the extinct elephant-like creatures covered in thick, shaggy fur that lived during the Ice Age. These massive animals had long, curved tusks and woolly coats that protected them from freezing temperatures.