equivocal statement

USAGE SUMMARY

"equivocal statement" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to a statement that is ambiguous or open to multiple interpretations. For example, "His equivocal statement left everyone confused about his true intentions." Alternative expressions include "ambiguous statement" and "vague statement."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The National Weather Service, meanwhile, issued an equivocal statement in which it said that it had "no opinion about private weather enterprise products and services".

The New Yorker

"I apologise to my Jewish compatriots for my equivocal statement," he said.Either way, Jobbik is out of tune with its potential allies across Europe.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

But in these times, especially following the equivocal statements made by President Trump on the violence in Charlottesville, the very concept of "both sides" may approach moral peril (to say nothing of the fact that Trump himself has boasted of sexual assault).

The New Yorker

He noted, among a long list of circumstantial evidence, the unusual late hours Dr. Ivins spent alone in his lab in the days leading up to the two anthrax mailings and a recorded conversation with a colleague in which Dr. Ivins made equivocal statements about whether he was involved in the anthrax mailings.

The New York Times

The forthright tone of Secretary Clinton's remarks was in welcome contrast to some of the administration's earlier and more equivocal statements about human rights and democracy.

Huffington Post

Nine subjects were discarded post-hoc due to equivocal statements on substance abuse, self-determined abort during the stressor application, task default or artifactual recordings.

Plosone

All of the participants had positive attitudes toward exercise; however, some equivocal statements appeared concerning the undertaking of the exercise sessions.

BMC Health Services Research

Results were considered "equivocal" when statements on statistical significance were absent or when multiple results with mixed significance were reported.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Morell's statement was equivocal on whether "enhanced interrogations" had produced information critical to finding bin Laden.

Huffington Post

"The statements were equivocal and showed not everybody was in agreement," said Father Bullock, one of the founders of a new group, the Boston Priests Forum, a professional association.

The New York Times

7.44am: Jon Craig on Sky thinks the Johnson statement was slightly equivocal, because he did not criticise Purnell's decision in the way that David Miliband did.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "equivocal statement" when you want to convey that a statement is intentionally or unintentionally open to multiple interpretations. It suggests a lack of clarity or a deliberate avoidance of commitment.

Common error

While both words relate to unclear meaning, "equivocal" often implies a deliberate attempt to be vague or misleading, whereas "ambiguous" simply means open to more than one interpretation without necessarily implying intent.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "equivocal statement" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "equivocal" modifies the noun "statement". It describes the quality of the statement, indicating its ambiguity or lack of decisiveness. Examples found by Ludwig show this phrase used in news and media contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "equivocal statement" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a statement that is ambiguous, vague, or open to multiple interpretations. As Ludwig AI shows, it often appears in news and media and scientific contexts to denote a lack of clarity or commitment. While its usage is not very common, it serves an important function in conveying nuance and uncertainty. Understanding the difference between "equivocal" and similar terms like "ambiguous" is crucial for precise communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ambiguous declaration

Replaces "statement" with "declaration", emphasizing the formal nature of the communication, and "equivocal" with "ambiguous", highlighting the lack of clarity.

vague assertion

Substitutes "statement" with "assertion", which suggests a confident but potentially unsubstantiated claim, and "equivocal" with "vague", indicating a lack of precision or detail.

uncertain pronouncement

Replaces "statement" with "pronouncement", implying a formal and often authoritative declaration, while "uncertain" captures the doubtful or hesitant nature of the original message.

noncommittal remark

Changes "statement" to "remark", suggesting a casual or informal expression, and "equivocal" to "noncommittal", focusing on the avoidance of a clear position or opinion.

evasive response

Transforms "statement" into "response", indicating an answer to a question or situation, and "equivocal" to "evasive", highlighting the attempt to avoid directness or clarity.

guarded comment

Replaces "statement" with "comment", suggesting a brief or incidental expression, while "guarded" emphasizes caution and restraint in revealing information or opinions.

qualified announcement

Changes "statement" to "announcement", implying a public and often formal declaration, and "equivocal" to "qualified", indicating limitations or conditions attached to the original message.

hedged assertion

Substitutes "statement" with "assertion", which suggests a confident but potentially unsubstantiated claim, and "equivocal" with "hedged", highlighting the addition of words or phrases to soften or qualify the statement.

tenuous declaration

Replaces "statement" with "declaration", emphasizing the formal nature of the communication, and "equivocal" with "tenuous", indicating a weak or uncertain basis for the original message.

ambivalent communication

Transforms "statement" into "communication", suggesting a broader exchange of information, and "equivocal" to "ambivalent", highlighting the presence of conflicting feelings or ideas.

FAQs

How can I use "equivocal statement" in a sentence?

You can use "equivocal statement" to describe a declaration that is open to interpretation or intentionally vague. For example, "The politician's "equivocal statement" on the issue left many voters unsure of their stance".

What is a good alternative to "equivocal statement"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "ambiguous declaration", "vague assertion", or "noncommittal remark".

What does it mean when a statement is described as "equivocal"?

An "equivocal statement" is one that is not clear or direct and can be understood in more than one way. It often suggests that the speaker is avoiding a firm commitment or is being deliberately vague.

What's the difference between an "equivocal statement" and a "contradictory statement"?

An "equivocal statement" is unclear and open to multiple interpretations, while a "contradictory statement" presents two or more ideas that cannot both be true. An equivocal statement lacks clarity, while a contradictory statement presents conflicting information.