equivocated
Avoided clear answers
Equivocated is the past tense of equivocate, meaning to use ambiguous language to avoid committing to a position or to deceive without technically lying.
Someone who equivocates gives evasive answers, hedges, or speaks in ways that could be interpreted multiple ways: When asked directly about the affair, he equivocated.
The word carries connotations of deliberate vagueness or dishonesty.
Avoided definite commitment
- waffledSpoke evasively, indecisively
- dodgedAvoided by quick movement
- evadedSuccessfully avoided capture
- sidesteppedAvoided by moving aside
prevaricated · deceived · misled · obfuscated · dissembled · fudged · stalled · deflected
hedged
Avoided definite commitment
- waffledSpoke evasively, indecisively
- dodgedAvoided by quick movement
- evadedSuccessfully avoided capture
sidestepped · prevaricated · deceived · misled · obfuscated · dissembled · fudged · stalled · deflected · stonewalled
hemmed
Finished a garment's edge
- hawedHesitated in speech
- stammeredSpoke with involuntary repetitions
- falteredLost momentum or confidence
mumbled · stuttered · vacillated · wavered · qualified · backtracked · hedged · sputtered · fumbled · rambled
vague
Unclear, ill-defined
noncommittal · indirect · cryptic · nebulous · imprecise · hazy · muddled · fuzzy · indefinite · obscure
equivocatedgot to the point
Reached the essence
cut to the chase · told it like it is · leveled · spelled it out
equivocatedcommitted
Firmly pledged or bound
took a stand · declared · asserted · decided · made clear
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