Meaning & use
equivocation
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountableformaldisapproving
The use of vague or double-meaning words to avoid giving a direct answer or to mislead someone.
Grammar: Uncountable in general (a lot of equivocation) or countable for single instances (an equivocation).
Patterns
- without equivocation
- equivocation about something
The spokesman's equivocation made reporters suspect he was hiding something.
She answered without equivocation: the answer was no.
After days of equivocation, the mayor finally admitted the error.
nouncountable or uncountabletechnical
In logic, a mistake in reasoning in which a word is used with two different meanings in the same argument.
Grammar: Often used as a fallacy name: this argument is an equivocation.
Patterns
- fallacy of equivocation
- commit equivocation
The argument relies on equivocation because 'light' means both 'not heavy' and 'not dark'.
Philosophy students learn to spot equivocation in tricky arguments.
Word forms
| plural | equivocations |
|---|
Common combinations
- without equivocation
- The doctor told her the truth without equivocation.
- fallacy of equivocation
- The fallacy of equivocation hides inside many clever slogans.
- avoid equivocation
- Contracts should avoid equivocation about payment dates.
- political equivocation
- Voters grew tired of political equivocation on tax.
- clear of equivocation
- His apology was clear of equivocation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- evasion
- Evasion is any avoiding of a question, while equivocation specifically uses unclear wording to do so.
- hedging
- Hedging is cautious softening to avoid commitment and is more casual than equivocation.
- ambiguity
- Ambiguity can be accidental, but equivocation usually implies deliberate vagueness.
- prevarication
- Prevarication is a close but more formal word that also suggests lying or stalling.
Opposites
Word family
- equivocate verb
- to speak in a vague way to avoid a direct answer
- equivocal adjective
- open to more than one meaning, unclear
- unequivocal adjective
- clear and firm, with no doubt
- equivocator noun
- someone who equivocates
Commonly confused: equivocation or unequivocal? equivocation or equivalence?
equivocation vs unequivocal
Unequivocal means completely clear; equivocation is the vague behavior itself, so they are nearly opposites.
equivocation vs equivalence
Equivalence means being equal in value or meaning, and has no link with dodging answers.
Practice
When asked whether the factory would close, the manager answered with ______ and never said yes or no.
Choose one answer.
Equivocation means avoiding a direct answer through vague wording. Exaggeration would mean overstating something, which does not match never saying yes or no.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “equivocation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.