What is another word for equivocal?
Synonyms for equivocal
ɪˈkwɪv ə kəlequiv·o·cal
This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word equivocal.
Wiktionary
equivocalnoun
Synonyms:
double entendre, ambiguous, doubtful, indeterminate, uncertainAntonyms:
unequivocalequivocaladjective
(Literally, called equally one thing or the other; hence:) Having two or more significations equally applicable; capable of double or multiple interpretation; of doubtful meaning; ambiguous; uncertain; as, equivocal words; an equivocal sentence.
Synonyms:
double entendre, uncertain, indeterminate, doubtful, ambiguousAntonyms:
unequivocalequivocaladjective
Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected; as, his actions are equivocal.
Synonyms:
doubtful, indeterminate, uncertain, ambiguousAntonyms:
unequivocalequivocaladjective
Uncertain, as an indication or sign; doubtful, incongruous.
Synonyms:
indeterminate, ambiguous, doubtful, uncertainAntonyms:
unequivocal
English Synonyms and Antonyms
equivocal
Equivocal (Latin equus, equal, and vox, voice, word) denotes that which may equally well be understood in either of two or more ways. Ambiguous (Latin ambi, around, and ago, drive, lead) signifies lacking in distinctness or certainty, obscure or doubtful through indefiniteness of expression. Ambiguous is applied only to spoken or written statements; equivocal has other applications. A statement is ambiguous when it leaves the mind of the reader or hearer to fluctuate between two meanings, which would fit the language equally well; it is equivocal when it would naturally be understood in one way, but is capable of a different interpretation; an equivocal expression is, as a rule, intentionally deceptive, while an ambiguous utterance may be simply the result of a want either of clear thought or of adequate expression. That which is enigmatical must be guessed like a riddle; a statement may be purposely made enigmatical in order to provoke thought and study. That is doubtful which is fairly open to doubt; that is dubious which has become the subject of doubts so grave as scarcely to fall short of condemnation; as, a dubious reputation. Questionable may be used nearly in the sense either of dubious or of doubtful; a questionable statement is one that must be proved before it can be accepted. To say that one's honesty is questionable is a mild way of saying that in the opinion of the speaker he is likely to prove dishonest. Equivocal is sometimes, tho more rarely, used in this sense. A suspicious character gives manifest reason to be suspected; a suspicious temper is inclined to suspect the motives and intentions of others, with or without reason. Compare CLEAR.
Synonyms:
ambiguous, doubtful, dubious, enigmatic, enigmatical, indefinite, indeterminate, indistinct, obscure, perplexing, questionable, suspicious, uncertainAntonyms:
certain, clear, distinct, evident, indisputable, indubitable, lucid, manifest, obvious, perspicuous, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal, unquestionable, unquestioned
Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms
Princeton's WordNet
equivocal, ambiguousadjective
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"
Synonyms:
ambiguousAntonyms:
absolute, unequivocal, univocal, conclusive, unquestionable, straightforward, unambiguousequivocaladjective
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
Synonyms:
ambiguousAntonyms:
unambiguous, unequivocal, absolute, straightforward, unquestionable, univocal, conclusiveequivocaladjective
uncertain as a sign or indication
"the evidence from bacteriologic analysis was equivocal"
Synonyms:
ambiguousAntonyms:
unequivocal, unambiguous, univocal, unquestionable, absolute, straightforward, conclusive
Dictionary of English Synonymes
equivocaladjective
Synonyms:
ambiguous, of doubtful meaning, to be taken in a double senseequivocaladjective
Synonyms:
uncertain, doubtful, dubious, indeterminate
PPDB, the paraphrase database
List of paraphrases for "equivocal":
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Words popularity by usage frequency
| ranking | word | |
|---|---|---|
| #11666 | uncertain | |
| #12256 | misleading | |
| #13380 | obscure | |
| #13890 | suspicious | |
| #15385 | questionable | |
| #17795 | ambiguous | |
| #20066 | doubtful | |
| #22231 | indefinite | |
| #23071 | dubious | |
| #36208 | indeterminate | |
| #37424 | enigmatic | |
| #38136 | murky | |
| #43014 | inconclusive | |
| #53854 | perplexing | |
| #67973 | indistinct | |
| #70807 | equivocal |
Translations for equivocal
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- مبهمArabic
- съмнителен, двусмислен, несигуренBulgarian
- mehrdeutig, fragwürdig, doppeldeutigGerman
- διφορούμενοςGreek
- equívocoSpanish
- دو پهلوPersian
- epäjohdonmukainen, epäselvä, monimerkityksinen, epäilyttävä, epämääräinen, moniselitteinen, kyseenalainenFinnish
- incertain, indéterminé, douteux, ambigu, équivoqueFrench
- equivocoItalian
- двосмислен, сомнителенMacedonian
- ambiguu, echivocRomanian
- сомнительный, двусмысленныйRussian
- tvetydigSwedish
- không phân minhVietnamese
Get even more translations for equivocal »
Translation
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"equivocal." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 26 Jan. 2025. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/equivocal>.
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