prevaricating 1 of 2

adjective

as in lying

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prevaricating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of prevaricate
as in fibbing
to make a statement one knows to be untrue during the hearings the witness was willing to prevaricate in order to protect his friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 prevaricating
Verb
That’s a phrase used for President Lyndon Johnson prevaricating on the Vietnam War. — John Seiler, Oc Register, 9 June 2026 Instead, the White House spent weeks prevaricating on an executive order that rests on the voluntary cooperation of the AI industry. — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 June 2026 There was a sense that the people in charge of the operation were incompetent or, worse, deliberately prevaricating. — Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevaricating
  1. lying
  2. mendacious
  3. dishonest
  4. untruthful
Adjective
  • He was found dead lying face up on his hotel bed with no signs of trauma, according to a Monday report from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
    — Kenan Draughorne, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2022
Definition of lying
Adjective
  • The 2026 State of the Union speech stands in contrast, a speech by a mendacious demagogue who has degraded his listeners by debauching their instincts.
    — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Supporters of recent state AI regulations said the measures will address potential threats to public safety and personal privacy, and to counter any mendacious actions created by AI, while not hindering innovation.
    — Hope Moses, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
Definition of mendacious
Adjective
  • But 52% of employees in that same study believe their company's efforts to be empathetic are dishonest.
    — Dennis Kozak, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The state agency said clinic staffers had clients sign a personal injury waiver, which the commission said was unenforceable, against public policy and deceptive and dishonest.
    — Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 8 July 2026
Definition of dishonest
Adjective
  • In February, federal authorities launched an investigation into two federal immigration agents who appeared to have made untruthful statements under oath regarding a nonfatal shooting of an immigrant in Minneapolis in January.
    — Hallie Golden, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2026
  • This inquiry identified insufficient evidence to conclude that Garcia knowingly made an untruthful statement.
    — Brian Maass, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Definition of untruthful

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Cite this Entry

“Prevaricating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prevaricating. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of prevaricating for Spanish Speakers

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