ambiguity around

USAGE SUMMARY

"ambiguity around" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to refer to uncertainty or lack of clarity surrounding a situation or concept. For example, "We still have a lot of ambiguity around the new policies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

46 human-written examples

The NMR edges are essentially the contact edges, significantly corrupted by experimental noise and ambiguity (around 5 noisy edges per correct one).

Bioinformatics

Ambiguity around the rules does not help.

The Economist

The ambiguity around turnbacks has galvanised some on the left.

The Guardian

But Mr. Rosenthal decided that the more troublesome result of the proctors' presence was that it created ambiguity around cheating.

The New York Times

"As a consequence there was ambiguity around who was taking the ultimate editorial responsibility" for the second contentious "Newsnight" program on Nov. 2, the report said, "particularly in the days leading up to the day of transmission".

The New York Times

As it was in the original 1963 "Charade," on which "Charlie" is based, the strategy of the remake is to spin a cloud of ambiguity around many of the principal characters.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

A discussion on Reddit's parenting section last month exposed some of the new ambiguities around using marijuana at home, even when it's legal.

The Guardian - Opinion

Bringing an increasingly frenzied guitar momentum to Freedom, Havens eventually sprang from his stool and conversed with the audience's handclapping with jazzy clapped offbeats of his own, which set up a hypnotic clamour of rhythmic ambiguities around the room - and briefly and memorably merged Havens' congregation into the band.

The Guardian - Music

Figure 2 Ambiguities around the central peak for BOC 2,1 -modulated signal.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Thus, the DLL can lock on a side peak which creates deep ambiguities around the central peak of the ACF (into the range of ±1 chips).

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

She's interested in people's moral reasoning and the moral ambiguities around choice and autonomy.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "ambiguity around" when you want to highlight a lack of clarity or uncertainty related to a specific topic or situation. It effectively frames the subject as being surrounded by doubt or multiple interpretations.

Common error

Avoid using "ambiguity around" when you mean that something is directly contradictory or false. "Ambiguity" suggests a lack of clear meaning, not an outright falsehood.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ambiguity around" functions as a prepositional phrase, typically modifying a noun or noun phrase. It highlights the presence of uncertainty or a lack of clear understanding concerning the noun it modifies. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

41%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ambiguity around" is a grammatically correct and useful prepositional phrase to indicate a lack of clarity or uncertainty surrounding a particular subject. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is appropriate for use in written English. While not exceedingly common, it appears most frequently in news and scientific contexts. Related phrases include "uncertainty surrounding" and "lack of clarity regarding", offering alternative ways to express the same concept. When writing, it's essential to use this phrase to denote a genuine lack of clear meaning rather than direct contradiction. The examples Ludwig provides show its versatility in different domains, highlighting its usefulness in professional and academic communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

uncertainty surrounding

Replaces "ambiguity" with "uncertainty" and uses the synonym "surrounding" for "around".

lack of clarity regarding

Substitutes "ambiguity" with its definition "lack of clarity" and replaces "around" with "regarding".

confusion concerning

Replaces "ambiguity" with "confusion" and "around" with "concerning", both indicating a lack of understanding.

vagueness relating to

Uses "vagueness" as a synonym for "ambiguity" and substitutes "around" with "relating to".

imprecision regarding

Replaces "ambiguity" with "imprecision" and "around" with "regarding", focusing on a lack of exactness.

opacity surrounding

Swaps "ambiguity" for "opacity" and maintains "surrounding" for "around", emphasizing a lack of transparency.

indistinctness concerning

Replaces "ambiguity" with "indistinctness" and "around" with "concerning", both denoting a lack of clear definition.

haziness surrounding

Replaces "ambiguity" with "haziness", evoking a sense of cloudiness or lack of clarity.

equivocation about

Substitutes "ambiguity" with "equivocation" and "around" with "about", suggesting a deliberate use of vague language.

unclear nature of

Replaces "ambiguity" with "unclear nature" and "around" with "of", focusing on the lack of clear definition.

FAQs

How can I use "ambiguity around" in a sentence?

You can use "ambiguity around" to describe a lack of clarity or uncertainty surrounding a particular topic. For example, "There's a lot of "ambiguity around" the new regulations."

What are some alternatives to saying "ambiguity around"?

Alternatives include phrases like "uncertainty surrounding", "lack of clarity regarding", or "confusion concerning".

Is it better to say "ambiguity around" or "vagueness about"?

Both "ambiguity around" and "vagueness about" are acceptable, but "ambiguity around" emphasizes the surrounding nature of the uncertainty, while "vagueness about" focuses on the lack of specific detail. Choose the phrase that best fits the nuance you want to convey.

What is the difference between "ambiguity around" and "duplicity around"?

"Ambiguity around" refers to a lack of clear meaning or uncertainty. In contrast, "duplicity around" implies deceit or dishonesty surrounding something, suggesting intentional misleading information rather than a lack of clarity.