Definition of ambiguousnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word ambiguous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of ambiguous are cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, obscure, and vague. While all these words mean "not clearly understandable," ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation.

an ambiguous directive

When can cryptic be used instead of ambiguous?

The words cryptic and ambiguous can be used in similar contexts, but cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning.

cryptic hints of hidden treasure

When would dark be a good substitute for ambiguous?

The words dark and ambiguous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion.

muttered dark hints of revenge

When is it sensible to use enigmatic instead of ambiguous?

The synonyms enigmatic and ambiguous are sometimes interchangeable, but enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality.

enigmatic occult writings

When could equivocal be used to replace ambiguous?

While the synonyms equivocal and ambiguous are close in meaning, equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.

moral precepts with equivocal phrasing

In what contexts can obscure take the place of ambiguous?

Although the words obscure and ambiguous have much in common, obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge.

obscure poems

When is vague a more appropriate choice than ambiguous?

While in some cases nearly identical to ambiguous, vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration.

a vague sense of obligation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ambiguous Wellness is a term that Has become increasingly more ambiguous as more companies allocate the term toward product positioning. Matt Parrott, Arkansas Online, 28 June 2026 Others are annoyed that its ambiguous language will create confusion over how — or if — the state will enforce compliance. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2026 The very fact that such scrutiny was on England players’ individual decisions about a pre-match handshake shows that whenever questions like this surface, fans, players, coaches, and federations continue to be left in an ambiguous and uncomfortable situation. Cerys Jones, New York Times, 27 June 2026 Rubio met with Gulf Arab leaders in Bahrain on Thursday in an effort to assuage their concerns over certain terms of the MOU, including the ambiguous language around the management of the Strait of Hormuz. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ambiguous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambiguous
Adjective
  • His doctors speculated his infection might have been a rare case of cryptic transmission from sharing meals and bathrooms with his coworkers, one of whom apparently had a tapeworm infection.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026
  • The Drama stirred debate on social media over its cryptic marketing campaign that did not directly divulge the main focus of the film.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • When that’s not enough, Google may add random noise to the data that can further obscure identities.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 29 June 2026
  • This seems, if anything, deliberately obscure.
    Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Adjective
  • Naughton joins a cast led by Reeve Carney as the enigmatic Jay Gatsby, Eva Noblezada as Daisy Buchanan and Corbin Bleu as Nick Carraway.
    Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
  • Excavations at Rising Star have sparked debate about whether these little hominins had all ended up in the caves by tragic accident, or whether they’d been carefully placed there by other members of their enigmatic species, dubbed Homo naledi.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • There’s no reason to think, for example, that decisions made by political appointees based on vague standards would be any more transparent than those made by peer reviewers based on scientific merit.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
  • American Mission’s partnership with the company, as well as the ads’ vague message about Donalds, exemplify the opaque nature of the AI industry’s spending in the 2026 election cycle.
    Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
Adjective
  • Beulah's spurned heir Joaquin (Juan Pablo Raba) calls up the mysterious Mariana (Raoul Max Trujillo) to help with his many problems, which include his ranch-usurping half-brother Rob-Will and those Duttons from Montana.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Nicolas Winding Refn’s audacious return to feature filmmaking is a gorgeous, mysterious act of cinema, sensorial and transgressive, that demands to be experienced on its own terms.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026
Adjective
  • Yet whether van Dijk will still be in uniform in 2030 is unclear, making this a chance the Netherlands can’t afford to lose.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026
  • Any plan for data retention policies remains troublingly unclear, and there’s seemingly been no privacy impact assessment weighing the privacy implications of centralizing so much sensitive data in the White House, the Guardian reported.
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • The details remain murky, but the investment fund would be financed privately and not by US taxpayers, according to the administration.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 26 June 2026
  • For a predator that relies on sight and fast reaction distances in shallow water, murky conditions can alter the entire hunting landscape and prey may become harder to detect.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • The mystic chords that bind us together matter more than any policy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Operating within those parameters, the mystic outlands trend extends to some of the world’s most mesmerizing corners.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ambiguous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambiguous. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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