Equivocal
Interview answers and witness statements earn this label when yes and no are both hiding in the same paragraph.
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Open to more than one interpretation; intentionally vague or ambiguous.
Memory trick
EQUI-VOCAL: equal voices, two voices at once, mixed/unclear meaning.
Examples
Her equivocal answer avoided committing to a timeline.
The trial produced equivocal results, needing further testing.
Investors reacted cautiously to the CEO’s equivocal comments.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin aequivocus "of equal voice/sound; ambiguous," from aequus "equal" + vox "voice."
Usage Notes
Often implies strategic vagueness, especially in politics or negotiations.
Real-life contexts
Use for communication: "That statement is equivocal, can we make it explicit?"
Use in analysis: "Evidence is equivocal, so confidence should be low."
Use in feedback: "Avoid equivocal wording in policy docs."
Common Mistakes
Equivocal is about unclear meaning, not mixed feelings (that is ambivalent).
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Part of Speech
adjective
Difficulty
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