equivocator
Speaker avoiding commitment
An equivocator is someone who speaks ambiguously or evasively, deliberately using words that can be interpreted multiple ways to mislead without technically lying.
The term carries a negative connotation—equivocators are being slippery rather than honest: Politicians are practiced equivocators.
The related verb is equivocate.
One who speaks falsely
- deceiverOne who tricks others
- dissemblerOne who hides beliefs
- prevaricatorOne who deceives verbally
- fabricatorCreator of lies
misleader · falsifier · double-dealer · trickster · charlatan · impostor · fraudster · conman
One who avoids commitment
- wafflerOne who hesitates endlessly
- dodgerOne who avoids
- evaderOne who gets away
- stonewallerOne who refuses response
deflector · obfuscator · fence-sitter · noncommittal · sidestepper · backpedaler · spin · misdirection
Favorable interpretation specialist
- lobbyistPaid legislative influencer
- rhetoricianExpert in persuasive speaking
- filibustererOne who delays legislation
- demagogueManipulative populist leader
politician · partisan · diplomat · pundit · spokesperson · propagandist · apologist · smooth-talker
One who fluctuates
- wavererIndecisive person
- dithererPerpetually indecisive person
- hesitatorOne who delays deciding
- flip-flopperOne who reverses positions
ambivalence · uncertainty · indecision · tentativeness · wishy-washy · irresolute · uncommitted · shilly-shally
liar
One who speaks falsely
- deceiverOne who tricks others
- dissemblerOne who hides beliefs
- prevaricatorOne who deceives verbally
fabricator · misleader · falsifier · double-dealer · trickster · charlatan · impostor · fraudster · conman · swindler
hedger
One who avoids commitment
stonewaller · deflector · obfuscator · fence-sitter · noncommittal · sidestepper · backpedaler · spin · misdirection · doublespeak
spin doctor
Favorable interpretation specialist
- lobbyistPaid legislative influencer
- rhetoricianExpert in persuasive speaking
- filibustererOne who delays legislation
demagogue · politician · partisan · diplomat · pundit · spokesperson · propagandist · apologist · smooth-talker · double-dealing
vacillator
One who fluctuates
flip-flopper · ambivalence · uncertainty · indecision · tentativeness · wishy-washy · irresolute · uncommitted · shilly-shally · oscillation
- fence sittersfence sitter, waverer, hesitator, ditherer, swing voter
- Wishy-washy peoplewaffler, waverer, vacillator, ditherer, fence-sitter
- liarsdeceiver, fabricator, falsifier, fraud, prevaricator
equivocate, equivocation, equivocating, equivocated, equivocates, equivocations, equivocators