unequivocally
Americanadverb
-
in a way that is clear and unambiguous.
The theme is unequivocally religious.
-
in a way that is not subject to conditions or exceptions.
He offered his forgiveness unequivocally.
Etymology
Origin of unequivocally
First recorded in 1690–1700; un- 1 ( def. ) + equivocally ( def. )
Explanation
Ideas that are presented unequivocally are given clearly, without causing doubt and confusion. At your lecture, you presented facts and charts, speaking unequivocally about the dangers of global warming. The adverb unequivocally strengthens the ideas in a statement as true and easy to understand. The word can be traced to the Latin aequivocus, meaning "ambiguous." The addition of the prefix "un" turns the meaning around to "not equivocally." Economist John Kenneth Galbraith once said, "All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time."
Vocabulary lists containing unequivocally
Into the Wild
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This Week In Words: November 2–8, 2019
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“One hundred percent. Absolutely. Unequivocally yes,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 17, 2024
Unequivocally, the appropriate housing policy for the county must address the question of affordable housing supply to meet the accommodation needs of the existing and incoming Blacks and Latinos.
From Washington Post • Jan. 14, 2022
"Unequivocally, Coop is the best person for the job," general manager Julien BriseBois said.
From Fox News • Oct. 11, 2021
Unequivocally, the market is expensive compared with past eras.
From New York Times • Mar. 5, 2021
Unequivocally, he answered her: “Yes, this is true for Christians, Jews, and heathens.”
From Travel Tales in the Promised Land (Palestine) by May, Karl Friedrich
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
