as in to weasel
to avoid giving a definite answer or position
the candidate equivocated as long as he could on controversial issues
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in ambiguity
deliberate evasion in speech
your equivocation when asked where you were last night is not reassuring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ambiguousness
the quality or state of having a veiled or uncertain meaning
the equivocation of the last line of the poem, "That is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of equivocate
Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 28 May 2025
Critics further condemn equivocating between Israel, as a democracy, and Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization in the U.S., Israel and by the European Union.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 7 Feb. 2025
Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 May 2025
The equivocation that has characterized the administration’s legal responses to date is turning into objection and refusal.
—Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for equivocate
Verb
But plans were never set in stone, and Irvine equivocated as to where in the city the cemetery should go.
—Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 28 May 2025
Critics further condemn equivocating between Israel, as a democracy, and Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization in the U.S., Israel and by the European Union.
—Laura Kelly, The Hill, 7 Feb. 2025
Noun
The very title of the exhibition, the first Conceptualist project to use photocopy as a medium, signals a deliberate equivocation over nothing less than the ontology of the art object.
—Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 May 2025
The equivocation that has characterized the administration’s legal responses to date is turning into objection and refusal.
—Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for equivocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equivocate
Verb
-
So if an extra (and questionable) ingredient weasels its way into the formula, and the supplement hits the market, there's not much the FDA can do besides send companies a warning letter to recall the supplement.—
Julia Forbes,
Wired News,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Despite her best efforts, Keith, who is serving life in prison, tries to weasel his way back into her life.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
In reality, for decades Netanyahu has upheld Israel's policy of ambiguity.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Human creativity thrives in ambiguity and adaptive thinking.—
Sarat Chakravarthi,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
On back-to-back pass plays, though, Ward held the ball too long and couldn’t shake the Broncos’ pass rush, resulting in back-to-back sacks that took the Titans outside field goal range.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
After a while, the lady shook her head.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Back in the days of typewriters and papers that could easily get lost in the shuffle, journalists typed -30- at the end of their pieces.—
Joanna Allhands,
AZCentral.com,
5 Sep. 2025
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During a year that included further footwear triumphs with Louis Vuitton, the launch of a new multipurpose brand platform, and an industry-favorite album with Clipse, Pharrell’s new Adidas collaboration was strong enough to not get lost in the shuffle.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Their circumlocutions were as entrancing as their ability to find the most precisely ironic words for difficult-to-name realities.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 July 2025
-
Here, instead, she’s swayed by a dead Diana softly squeezing her hand and kindly hinting — the dead Diana is an ace at tactful circumlocution — that now is the time to show a mourning nation some emotion.—
Tom Gliatto,
Peoplemag,
16 Nov. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Equivocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equivocate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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