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 But how deliciously ambiguous that would’ve been! Sara Netzley, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2025 The quiz’s function remains ambiguous. Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 In today’s high-stakes, fast-moving, and ambiguous environment, leaders hold onto decision-making for a number of reasons. Harvard Business Review, 25 Aug. 2025 The other half involved a dilemma between self-interest and the interests of others, and had ambiguous outcomes, such as deciding whether to help a neighbor at the expense of personal work deadlines. New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ambiguous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ambiguous
Adjective
  • The brand’s giant green owl mascot dances badly, makes obscure pop culture references and pokes fun at the company’s push notifications.
    Leeron Walter, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Indeed, compared to 2005’s Broken Flowers, this is a wilfully obscure step back to his deadpan, experimental roots, a gentle, almost deliberately un-film that is best not viewed in too much proximity to the witching hour.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Acclaimed country musician Orville Peck will make his film debut in Street Fighter as the enigmatic Vega, a masked fighter with a freaky set of Freddy Krueger claws.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
  • One of Al Pacino’s finest performances of the 1970s — which, with the Godfather films and Serpico, is an absurd hot hand — is as the enigmatic, wild-eyed Sonny, a man who performs a desperate bank robbery with his partner (the late John Cazale, by turns heartbreakingly clueless and dopily funny).
    Christina Newland, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This Earth sign can be quite the perfectionist, preferring order and discernment over anything remotely vague and careless.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Detainees can be held indefinitely without charges, often based on vague suspicion, anonymous tips, or looks alone.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In an effort to help the group retrieve it, Guy encounters William Fitchner’s Jasper, a mysterious American who has quietly assumed control and influence over the Talamasca’s London Motherhouse.
    Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Released in 2004, the film follows Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, who finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Future research could also explore why omega-3s appear to be more protective for women—something that’s currently unclear.
    Brian Mastroianni, Health, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Frei's relationship status is unclear, but her filmography has been filled in recent years with appearances in shows such as Shrill, The Cleaning Lady, Poker Face and Animal Control.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Gray tones, blacks, murky greens, and of course, the midnight blue complete the look.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025
  • But after that, things get murky.
    Sarah Hutter, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • These fish, known for their cryptic behavior, were identified as a neonative species, expanding their range naturally.
    Real-Time News team, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Ars reached out to Google for an explanation, receiving a cryptic and somewhat unsatisfying reply.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Yet Blanc’s real faith lies in the nearly mystic quality involved in seeing what the human animal is capable of.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Yeats’s spirals, once dismissed as the wild diagrams of a mystic, now settle over this place like soot.
    Alaa Alqaisi August 13, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ambiguous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ambiguous. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

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