equivocation
Americannoun
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the act or an instance of equivocating
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logic a fallacy based on the use of the same term in different senses, esp as the middle term of a syllogism, as the badger lives in the bank, and the bank is in the High Street, so the badger lives in the High Street
Etymology
Origin of equivocation
1350–1400; Middle English equivocacion < Late Latin aequivocātiōn- (stem of aequivocātiō ). See equivocate, -ion
Explanation
If your boss asks you where all the merchandise went and you say, "someone took it," omitting that the "someone" in question is you, that's equivocation: using ambiguous language to hide the truth. Equivocation comes from the Latin for "equal" and "naming," and in equivocation, you use a word that could have a few different meanings, all technically equal, in order to mask what you really mean. It's a great way to not-quite lie, but still avoid taking the blame for something you did, which is why equivocation is never a good thing. You may recognize this kind of speech from watching (some) politicians on TV.
Vocabulary lists containing equivocation
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
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Analyzing Arguments: From Reading to Writing (Chapter 3)
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Speech and Debate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This isn’t because I was uniquely dialed in to the Bard’s clever use of equivocation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Still, the hammer didn’t drop until the court quietly released a follow-up in June that constitutionalized Callais and proclaimed, without equivocation, that the Constitution is “color-blind.”
From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2026
“I can say utterly without equivocation that @ejeancarroll is one of the most gracious and forthright people I have ever met,” he wrote.
From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2024
“We cannot allow any equivocation on this point.”
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 25, 2023
He thought how ten minutes ago—yes, only ten minutes— there had still been equivocation in his heart as he wondered whether the news from the front would be of victory or defeat.
From "1984" by George Orwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
