ambiguity

American  

[am-bi-gyoo-i-tee] / ˌæm bɪˈgyu ɪ ti /

noun

plural

ambiguities

1. doubtfulness or uncertainty of meaning or intention.

   to speak with ambiguity;

   an ambiguity of manner.

   Synonyms:

   deceptiveness, vagueness

   Antonyms:

   clarity, explicitness

2. an unclear, indefinite, or equivocal word, expression, meaning, etc..

   a contract free of ambiguities;

   the ambiguities of modern poetry.

   Synonyms:

   equivocation

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ambiguity British  

/ ˌæmbɪˈɡjuːɪtɪ /

noun

1. the possibility of interpreting an expression in two or more distinct ways

2. an instance of this, as in the sentence they are cooking apples

3. vagueness or uncertainty of meaning

   there are several ambiguities in the situation

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Other Word Forms

• nonambiguity noun

Etymology

Origin of ambiguity

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English ambiguite, from Latin ambiguitās, equivalent to ambigu(us) ambiguous ( def. ) + -itās -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

Byrne’s moral ambiguity and haunted expressions as a young attorney on “Damages” brought her two Emmy nominations.

From Los Angeles Times

“As such, they can help to remove any uncertainty or ambiguity around each party’s expectations regarding pre-marital assets.”

From MarketWatch

Like many recent theater school grads, Dela Cruz was still trying to find his niche as a performer, oscillating between the pursuits of ethnic ambiguity — a casting asset — and cultural identity.

From Los Angeles Times

But that would require understanding the concept of “strategic ambiguity” toward the island of 23 million free people.

From The Wall Street Journal

But lingering regulatory ambiguity has kept many firms based in the country from formally registering there, opting instead to file paperwork in places such as Singapore and Dubai.

From Barron's

Related Words

• doubt
• uncertainty
• vagueness