Tergiversate (Verb)
Meaning 1
Abandon one's beliefs or allegiances.
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The politician was accused of tergiversating on her previous stance on environmental issues after she accepted large donations from polluters.
- During the heated debate, the senator tergiversated on his long-held position, leaving many of his constituents feeling betrayed.
- Her colleagues expressed disappointment and frustration when she tergiversated on the company's values, prioritizing short-term profit over social responsibility.
- Over time, the activist's passion and conviction waned, causing him to tergiversate on the cause to which he had once dedicated his life.
- Following the economic downturn, the investor tergiversated on his initial investment strategy, switching to more conservative and traditional approaches.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information.
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The politician was accused of tergiversating on the issue of tax reform to avoid losing voters' support.
- The company's CEO was criticized for tergiversating about the cause of the recent chemical leak, sparking public concern.
- The lawyer's skillful use of language allowed her to tergiversate on key points in her argument, leaving the jury with more questions than answers.
- The company's excuses for the product recall seemed like an attempt to tergiversate and downplay the severity of the issue.
- As the debate progressed, it became clear that the candidate was trying to tergiversate on his previous stance, alienating both his original supporters and his opponents.