palter

American  

[pawl-ter] / ˈpɔl tər /

verb (used without object)

1. to talk or act insincerely or deceitfully; lie or use trickery.

2. to bargain with; haggle.

3. to act carelessly; trifle.

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palter British  

/ ˈpɔːltə /

verb

1. to act or talk insincerely

2. to haggle

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Other Word Forms

• palterer noun

Etymology

Origin of palter

1530–40 in sense “to speak indistinctly,” perhaps alteration of falter in same sense, with p- from palsy ¹

Explanation

To palter is to beat around the bush by speaking or writing in an unclear way. People palter to confuse others. Palter is an unusual word for a common thing: speaking or writing in a way that bamboozles others. Politicians are paltering experts: they palter when they leave out important information or use euphemisms to confuse voters. Paltering can be vague, distracting, or misleading. People palter when they have something to hide or just don't want to discuss. Paltering isn't outright lying, but it's close. The opposite of paltering is being straightforward, clear, and honest.

Example Sentences

You can equivocate, or dissemble, or palter, or mislead, or prevaricate, or fib, or perjure.

From Washington Post • May 3, 2021

"And if you don't abide by those, then there's no reason you would ever need to palter, because you could just say whatever you want."

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2017

"And if you don’t abide by those, then there’s no reason you would ever need to palter, because you could just say whatever you want."

From Washington Post • Dec. 29, 2016

He is nothing—unless we palter with the meaning of words—but a clerk in the office at the stores where we pay a deposit and order goods on a form.

From Somehow Good by De Morgan, William Frend

Yet time pressed, she could no longer palter with her love, she must be true to Clement now or false, she must suffer for him now or play the coward.

From Ovington's Bank by Weyman, Stanley J.