ambiguous
[ am-big-yoo-uhs ]
/ æmˈbɪg yu əs /
adjective
open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal: an ambiguous answer.
Linguistics. (of an expression) exhibiting constructional homonymity; having two or more structural descriptions, as the sequence Flying planes can be dangerous.
of doubtful or uncertain nature; difficult to comprehend, distinguish, or classify: a rock of ambiguous character.
lacking clearness or definiteness; obscure; indistinct: an ambiguous shape; an ambiguous future.
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Nearby words
Origin of ambiguous
SYNONYMS FOR ambiguous
ANTONYMS FOR ambiguous
Related forms
am·big·u·ous·ly, adverbam·big·u·ous·ness, nounun·am·big·u·ous, adjectiveCan be confused
ambiguous ambivalentSynonym study
1. ambiguous, equivocal, cryptic, enigmatic describe conditions or statements not clear in meaning. ambiguous can refer to a statement, act, or attitude that is capable of two or more often contradictory interpretations, usually accidentally or unintentionally so: an ambiguous passage in the preamble. equivocal, usually applied to spoken as well as written language, also means susceptible of two or more interpretations, and it usually suggests a deliberate intent to mislead by avoiding clarity: saving face with an equivocal response to an embarrassing question. cryptic usually refers to intentional obscurity, especially in language, and often implies a private or hidden meaning but stresses resultant mystification or puzzlement: a cryptic remark that left us struggling to interpret his intention. enigmatic focuses on perplexity resulting from a mysterious or imponderable event or utterance, often one of great importance or deep significance: prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for ambiguous
British Dictionary definitions for ambiguous
ambiguous
/ (æmˈbɪɡjʊəs) /
adjective
having more than one possible interpretation or meaning
difficult to understand or classify; obscure
Derived Forms
ambiguously, adverbambiguousness, nounWord Origin for ambiguous
C16: from Latin ambiguus going here and there, uncertain, from ambigere to go around, from ambi- + agere to lead, act
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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