ambiguity

American  

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

noun

• ambiguities
  plural

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

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonambiguity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ambiguities
  plural

---

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. )

---

Explanation

Something with ambiguity is unclear. Think about the sentence, "Jill saw the man with binoculars." If you are wondering whether Jill or the man had the binoculars, you are noticing the ambiguity, or the double meaning, of this sentence. Lawyers word contracts to avoid ambiguity, but in doing so prevent anyone who is not a lawyer from understanding what they have written! If you can't choose between two decisions because both seem somehow wrong, you are dealing with moral ambiguity. Imagine if a friend who has helped you out many times asks you to cheat. It's wrong to cheat but it also seems wrong not to help someone who has been there for you.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ambiguity ambiguities

An upcoming exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, previewed by AFP, examines the ambiguity.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

“Extreme heat is, without any ambiguity, the biggest hazard globally and in the U.S.,” said UC San Diego environmental epidemiologist Tarik Benmarhnia.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

And recalls themselves contain an uncomfortable ambiguity: They reveal that something dangerous entered the food supply, but also that someone detected a problem and warned the public.

From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2026

For now, industry analysts expect the U.S. to maintain ambiguity on the tariffs at least until after the midterm elections as it grapples with inflation concerns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

In effect, he used the inherent ambiguity of the offensive statement to evade any direct response to Burr.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

A midnight curfew was introduced following an Ashes tour blighted by off-field problems, but ambiguities around the curfew were a factor in the nightclub controversy involving Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

“These ambiguities … are only likely to intensify as the conflict evolves,” Skuld said.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 5, 2026

That includes the need to maintain the ambiguities and the nuance of the film as Tracy wrote it.

From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 2026

The brevity—and breakneck speed—of many of the new trade deals with the U.S. have left ambiguities that vex swift approvals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026

Psycholinguists call these local ambiguities “garden paths,” from the expression “to lead someone up the garden path,” that is, to mislead him.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• doubt
• uncertainty
• vagueness

---