double-talkers

Masters of ambiguity

Double-talkers are people who speak evasively or use deliberately ambiguous language to deceive or mislead.

The term implies intentional obscurity—saying one thing while meaning another, or using words that sound meaningful but commit to nothing: Politicians are such double-talkers.

A double-talker might make promises they have no intention of keeping.

political

politicians

Elected government representatives

diplomatsForeign government representatives
spokespeopleDesignated organizational communicators
punditsExpert commentators on affairs

lobbyists · bureaucrats · spin · rhetoric · doublespeak · obfuscation · evasion · deflection · non-answers · weasel words

deception

liars

Tellers of falsehoods

deceiversThose who mislead intentionally
manipulatorsPeople who influence deceitfully
hypocritesThose feigning false virtue

con artists · swindlers · fraudsters · charlatans · imposters · backstabbers · two-faced · duplicitous · insincere · disingenuous

ambiguity

equivocators

Deliberately unclear speakers

fence-sittersPeople refusing to choose
vagueUnclear, ill-defined
unclearNot easily understood

hedging · noncommittal · wishy-washy · mixed messages · contradictory · inconsistent · waffling · cryptic · elusive · slippery

Opposites

honesty and directness in communication

double-talkersstraight shooters

Forthright, honest individuals

straight talkers · truth-tellers · honest brokers · open books

consistency of message

double-talkersstraight arrows

Conventional, upstanding people

reliable sources

Family

double, talker, talk, talks, talked, talking, talkers, double-talk, doubles

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G