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
Rachana Pradhan, CNN Money, 8 July 2025
Countries can hedge their bets or equivocate by playing one power off the other.
—Jorge Heine, The Conversation, 7 July 2025
Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 19 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
During a May 19 town hall meeting with NIH staff members, Jay Bhattacharya, the institute’s new director, equivocated when asked about funding cuts for research into improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities — cuts made under the guise of purging DEI from the government.
—Rachana Pradhan, CNN Money, 8 July 2025
Countries can hedge their bets or equivocate by playing one power off the other.
—Jorge Heine, The Conversation, 7 July 2025
Noun
The equivocation over the ground invasion reflects Mr. Netanyahu’s need to satisfy far-right cabinet ministers, who are pushing for the full re-occupation of Gaza, and Israel’s top generals, who believe such a move would be difficult to sustain and dangerous to hostages held in Gaza.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 19 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, that was a good learning experience and a humbling experience of being on the outside and trying to weasel my way in.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
25 Sep. 2025
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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
Noun
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The key to effective communication in the RAF is ensuring there is no ambiguity.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
All of Harwicz’s novels unfold at a sprint and feel at ease with narrative ambiguity and spatial confusion.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Weak to light shaking was recorded, and people in several cities - such as Big Bear City, Big Bear Lake and Angelus Oaks - reported experiencing the tremor, according to the USGS DYFI report.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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The region has been shaken Other nations in the region have been affected by the tumult.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The clip ends with Snoop doing a snow shuffle to the Olympic theme.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
29 Sep. 2025
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All is quiet except for the shuffle of hooves, as the mounts shift the weight of their riders and their heavy armor.—
Greg Grandin
September 23,
Literary Hub,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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 11 Oct. 2025.
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