equivocate

intransitive-verb
UK: /ɪˈkwɪvəkeɪt/
US: /ɪˈkwɪvəˌkeɪt/

  1. To avoid giving a clear or direct answer to a question.

    1. He tried to equivocate about his feelings.
    2. The politician seemed to equivocate when asked about his tax returns.

  2. To use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.

    1. Don't equivocate, just give a straight answer.
    2. She accused the company of equivocating on environmental issues to protect profits.

Synonyms

prevaricate hedge stall evade dodge sidestep
equivocate transitive-verb

  1. To deliberately use unclear language to deceive or mislead someone.

    1. He equivocated, hoping she wouldn't notice.
    2. The lawyer equivocated in his testimony, trying to protect his client.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "equivocate" in English means: To avoid giving a clear or direct answer to a question., To use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself..

The phonetic transcription of "equivocate" is /ɪˈkwɪvəkeɪt/ in British English and /ɪˈkwɪvəˌkeɪt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "equivocate": prevaricate, hedge, stall, evade, dodge, sidestep.

Example usage of "equivocate": "He tried to equivocate about his feelings.". More examples on the page.