Equivocal (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Open to question; "aliens of equivocal loyalty"; "his conscience reproached him with the equivocal character of the union into which he had forced his son"-Anna Jameson.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Meaning 2
Uncertain as a sign or indication; "the evidence from bacteriologic analysis was equivocal".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Meaning 3
Open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead; "an equivocal statement"; "the polling had a complex and equivocal (or ambiguous) message for potential female candidates"; "the officer's equivocal behavior increased the victim's uneasiness"; "popularity is an equivocal crown"; "an equivocal response to an embarrassing question".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The politician's statement on the issue was deliberately equivocal, leaving voters to wonder what she really meant.
- The artist's use of ambiguous imagery in the painting created an equivocal atmosphere that sparked intense debate among critics.
- The company's equivocal response to the allegations of wrongdoing only served to fuel further speculation and mistrust.
- The jury was presented with equivocal evidence that could be interpreted in multiple ways, making it difficult to reach a verdict.
- The philosopher's equivocal views on morality were seen as both thought-provoking and frustratingly vague by her students.