equivocal
adjective
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If you're unsure about how to use equivocal properly, it may help to first remember its antonym, unequivocal, which is without a doubt the more common word of the two. As unequivocal means "leaving no doubt" or "unquestionable," it stands to reason that equivocal applies to language that is open to multiple, often differing interpretations. Equivocal can also have a sinister slant: equivocal language is usually used to mislead or confuse, its vagueness allowing the speaker to avoid committing to a firm position or opinion, and to later disavow anything listeners found objectionable if need be. To use a related verb, politicians are often accused of equivocating when, for example, they respond to yes-or-no questions with rambling, unrelated anecdotes.
Synonyms
Examples of equivocal in a Sentence
Jed Perl, New Republic, 20 Mar. 2000
He [Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec] frequented the sleazy underworld of Paris, but moved in top circles too, and by virtue of his equivocal status as a landed gentleman-turned-bohemian artist, was sufficiently an outsider to be a detached observer of the diverse social classes among whom he ranged so freely.
—Elizabeth Cowling, Times Literary Supplement, 8 Nov. 1991
… in the past, photographs of real situations in color have invited a sense of ambiguity, an element of distrust on the part of viewers, perhaps because the saturated dyes of color film seem to have an equivocal relationship to the harsher realities of social conditions.
—Naomi Rosenblum, A World History of Photography, 1989
He responded to reporters' questions with equivocal answers.
The experiment produced equivocal results.
Michael Useem, Fortune Asia, 24 Oct. 2024
Although multiple sources within the FDNY, City Hall and a former city official told the Daily News that Tucker was widely expected to be tapped as commissioner, the mayor’s office was equivocal when asked for comment Sunday night.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2024
Asked at a press conference earlier this month about whether the Vice-President could do well at the top of the ticket, Biden offered an equivocal answer at best.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024
In recent days, Trump and his aides have been more equivocal about the timing.
—David Jackson, USA TODAY, 28 June 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near equivocal
Cite this Entry
“Equivocal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equivocal. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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equivocal
adjective
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