What is another word for ambiguous?

Synonyms for ambiguous
æmˈbɪg yu əsam·bigu·ous

This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word ambiguous.

Wiktionary4.0 / 1 vote

  1. ambiguousadjective

    Synonyms:
    equivocal

    Antonyms:
    specific, precise, unambiguous

  2. ambiguousadjective

    Open to multiple interpretations.

    The politician was criticized for his ambiguous statements and lack of precision.

    Synonyms:
    equivocal

    Antonyms:
    specific, precise, unambiguous

  3. ambiguousadjective

    Vague and unclear.

    He gave an ambiguous answer.

    Synonyms:
    equivocal

    Antonyms:
    precise, unambiguous, specific

  4. ambiguousadjective

    Of persons: hesitant; uncertain; not taking sides.

    Thomas Salusbury (1662): And forasmuch as in this same question I am ambiguous, and Simplicius is resolute....

    Synonyms:
    equivocal

    Antonyms:
    specific, unambiguous, precise

English Synonyms and Antonyms4.7 / 3 votes

  1. ambiguous

    Equivocal (Latin equus, equal, and vox, voice, word) denotes that which may equally well be understood in either of two or more ways. Ambiguous (Latin ambi, around, and ago, drive, lead) signifies lacking in distinctness or certainty, obscure or doubtful through indefiniteness of expression. Ambiguous is applied only to spoken or written statements; equivocal has other applications. A statement is ambiguous when it leaves the mind of the reader or hearer to fluctuate between two meanings, which would fit the language equally well; it is equivocal when it would naturally be understood in one way, but is capable of a different interpretation; an equivocal expression is, as a rule, intentionally deceptive, while an ambiguous utterance may be simply the result of a want either of clear thought or of adequate expression. That which is enigmatical must be guessed like a riddle; a statement may be purposely made enigmatical in order to provoke thought and study. That is doubtful which is fairly open to doubt; that is dubious which has become the subject of doubts so grave as scarcely to fall short of condemnation; as, a dubious reputation. Questionable may be used nearly in the sense either of dubious or of doubtful; a questionable statement is one that must be proved before it can be accepted. To say that one's honesty is questionable is a mild way of saying that in the opinion of the speaker he is likely to prove dishonest. Equivocal is sometimes, tho more rarely, used in this sense. A suspicious character gives manifest reason to be suspected; a suspicious temper is inclined to suspect the motives and intentions of others, with or without reason. Compare CLEAR.

    Synonyms:
    doubtful, dubious, enigmatic, enigmatical, equivocal, indefinite, indeterminate, indistinct, obscure, perplexing, questionable, suspicious, uncertain

    Antonyms:
    certain, clear, distinct, evident, indisputable, indubitable, lucid, manifest, obvious, perspicuous, plain, unambiguous, unequivocal, unquestionable, unquestioned

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms4.3 / 3 votes

  1. ambiguous

    Synonyms:
    equivocal, vague, doubtful, enigmatical, uncertain, obscure, unintelligible, perplexing, indistinct, dubious

    Antonyms:
    univocal, obvious, plain, clear, unambiguous, indisputable, necessary, unmistakable, unequivocal, lucid

Princeton's WordNet5.0 / 1 vote

  1. equivocal, ambiguousadjective

    open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead

    "an equivocal statement"; "the polling had a complex and equivocal (or ambiguous) message for potential female candidates"; "the officer's equivocal behavior increased the victim's uneasiness"; "popularity is an equivocal crown"; "an equivocal response to an embarrassing question"

    Synonyms:
    equivocal

    Antonyms:
    unambiguous, structured, monosemous

  2. ambiguousadjective

    having more than one possible meaning

    "ambiguous words"; "frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy"

    Synonyms:
    equivocal

    Antonyms:
    monosemous, unambiguous, structured

  3. ambiguousadjective

    having no intrinsic or objective meaning; not organized in conventional patterns

    "an ambiguous situation with no frame of reference"; "ambiguous inkblots"

    Synonyms:
    equivocal

    Antonyms:
    structured, monosemous, unambiguous

Matched Categories

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words0.0 / 0 votes

  1. ambiguousadjective

    Synonyms:
    indefinite, delphic, equivocal, vague, doubtful

How to pronounce ambiguous?

How to say ambiguous in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

rankingword
#9735mysterious
#10949confusing
#11666uncertain
#12929unclear
#13380obscure
#13890suspicious
#14437vague
#15385questionable
#17795ambiguous
#20066doubtful
#22231indefinite
#23071dubious
#23615blurred
#32675unambiguous
#36208indeterminate
#37424enigmatic
#38689shadowy
#45217unintelligible
#45950ambivalent
#53854perplexing
#67973indistinct
#70807equivocal

How to use ambiguous in a sentence?

  1. Pope Francis:

    It would be our second face-to-face meeting, nothing to do with the war, but now, The Patriarch too agrees : let's stop, it could be an ambiguous signal.

  2. Link Starbureiy:

    Mathematics is an ambiguous way to prove or disprove ideal behaviors of objects.

  3. Tamara Lawrence:

    We train and operate in dynamic, complex and ambiguous environments and our operators are empowered and trusted to independently make difficult decisions during missions, they have consistently proven that their empowerment and trust is warranted. Allegations that indicate otherwise are, and will continue to be, investigated by the appropriate military and law enforcement authorities.

  4. Andreas Beer:

    If you take a look at the Joker, it's an ambiguous mixture between something funny and something menacing, it's a horror clown and that's kind of, somehow cool. You can make memes of that.

  5. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo:

    It's just a factual statement that is factually wrong, i mean there are many things you can debate in the Constitution because they're ambiguous. This is not one of those things that is ambiguous.


Translations for ambiguous

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"ambiguous." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/ambiguous>.

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