prevaricate

American  

[pri-var-i-keyt] / prɪˈvær ɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used without object)

prevaricated, prevaricating

1. to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.

   Synonyms:

   shift, evade

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prevaricate British  

/ prɪˈværɪˌkeɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to speak or act falsely or evasively with intent to deceive

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Other Word Forms

• prevarication noun
• prevaricative adjective
• prevaricator noun
• prevaricatory adjective
• unprevaricating adjective

Etymology

Origin of prevaricate

1575–85; < Latin praevāricātus, past participle of praevāricārī to straddle something, (of an advocate) collude with an opponent's advocate, equivalent to prae- pre- + vāricāre to straddle, derivative of vārus bent outwards, bow-legged

Explanation

When you prevaricate, you lie or mislead. Now, go ahead and tell me whether you already knew that meaning, and don’t prevaricate about it — give me the story straight! While prevaricate basically means to lie, it also has the sense of making it hard to know exactly what the lie was. You talk in a confusing way, go back and forth, and as deliberately as possible mislead someone. Government officials, bureaucrats, and sneaky types prevaricate in the hopes that it will be too difficult to figure out whether they've been doing something wrong. Don't prevaricate with your parents — it will definitely make you look guilty, but they just won't be sure of what!

Example Sentences

While Mr. Rees is keen to dispel the myths ginned up by imperial writers, he doesn’t prevaricate when the evidence shows that their fears may not have been entirely unfounded.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

That suggests Sir Keir won't prevaricate in offering his own judgement about Sir Laurie Magnus's findings once he himself has them.

From BBC • Sep. 5, 2025

So, why did the three college presidents prevaricate when asked how they would respond to such language?

From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2023

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

From Washington Post • May 3, 2021

Of course not," responded Laurence angrily; "kindly do not prevaricate.

From The House of Strange Secrets A Detective Story by Bayly, A. Eric