statement was ambiguous

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "statement was ambiguous" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing a statement that is unclear or open to multiple interpretations. Example: "The statement was ambiguous, leading to confusion among the team members about the project's objectives."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Najib Mikati, the current prime minister, issued a policy statement on Thursday for his newly appointed cabinet, in which he said he would honor those pledges, though the wording of the statement was ambiguous.

The New York Times

Lawyers for the defense conceded that the statement was ambiguous (the State of Maine specifically instructs drafters of legal statutes not to use the serial comma) but argued that it had "a latent clarity".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

I don't think the statement is ambiguous at all.

The Guardian

As written, the statement is ambiguous and confusing in the sense that what you really mean is that certain substitutions that occurred during the reverse evolution process are incompatible with some of the residues present in the ancestral/original protein.

eLife

Yet, this statement is ambiguous since it is uncertain what kind of pairings make up a stem only Watson-Crick pairings or also interactions such as G-U and G-G.

Bioinformatics and Biology Insights

The witnesses' statements were ambiguous, and there was not independent corroborative proof (like an audio tape) that would have allowed us to sustain our burden of proof.

The New York Times

"The vast majority of the members of the council believe that it would not be productive for there to be a statement that was ambiguous in some fashion," Ms. Rice said, noting that the American position was that "we think that it is very important for the council to be able to speak with clarity and unity to condemn these attacks as unprovoked aggression by D.P.R.K. against the Republic of Korea.

The New York Times

Presumably, it was ambiguous statements like this one: "We have a very hostile judge.

The New Yorker

We did not mean for this statement to be ambiguous.

eLife

However, in Burkina Faso the quantitative data contradicted workers' statements, whereas in Niger the situation was ambiguous because of severe staff shortages and shortcomings in the Health Ministry's human resources policy.

BMC Health Services Research

The primary emphasis was to identify statements that are ambiguous, unclear, or leading, as well as to identify potential areas that were not covered by the initial Q-set.

BMC Palliative Care

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "statement was ambiguous", consider specifying why the statement was unclear to provide more context. For example, mention which part of the statement led to confusion or multiple interpretations.

Common error

Avoid using the passive voice excessively when describing ambiguity. Instead of "the statement was made ambiguous by the speaker", try "the speaker made an ambiguous statement", which is more direct and clear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "statement was ambiguous" functions as a descriptive statement, where "statement" is the subject and "was ambiguous" is the predicate. It indicates a quality or characteristic of the statement, affirming that it is not clear or has multiple interpretations. Ludwig AI confirms this with numerous examples where the phrase is used to describe unclear or confusing declarations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "statement was ambiguous" is a grammatically correct and relatively common way to describe a statement lacking clarity or subject to multiple interpretations. Ludwig AI confirms this. While generally neutral in tone, its usage can be tailored to specific contexts using more formal or informal alternatives like "statement lacked clarity" or "statement was vague". When using this phrase, providing additional context about the nature of the ambiguity can enhance clarity and prevent miscommunication. It is most frequently found in News & Media and scientific contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

statement lacked clarity

Focuses on the absence of clarity, rather than the presence of multiple interpretations.

statement was unclear

A more direct and simpler way of saying the statement was not easily understood.

statement was vague

Emphasizes the lack of specific details in the statement.

statement contained ambiguity

Highlights the presence of ambiguity within the statement itself.

statement was open to interpretation

Highlights that the statement could be understood in several ways.

statement was subject to interpretation

Similar to "open to interpretation", but slightly more formal.

statement was equivocal

Suggests the statement was deliberately unclear or evasive.

statement was imprecise

Focuses on the lack of precision or exactness in the statement.

statement was nebulous

Implies the statement was hazy or ill-defined.

statement was cryptic

Indicates the statement was intentionally mysterious or obscure.

FAQs

How can I rephrase the sentence "statement was ambiguous" to sound more formal?

Consider using alternatives such as "the statement lacked clarity", "the statement was subject to interpretation", or "the statement contained inherent ambiguity". These options provide a more sophisticated and professional tone.

What does it mean when a statement is described as ambiguous?

When a statement is ambiguous, it means that its meaning is unclear or open to multiple interpretations. It could be due to vague wording, lack of context, or conflicting information. This can lead to confusion or miscommunication.

What are some common causes of an "ambiguous statement"?

Common causes include poor wording, lack of context, technical jargon without explanation, or intentional use of vague language to avoid commitment. Sometimes, it arises unintentionally from a speaker or writer not fully considering how their words might be interpreted.

Is there a difference between "statement was vague" and "statement was ambiguous"?

Yes, while both indicate a lack of clarity, "vague" suggests a lack of specific detail, whereas "ambiguous" suggests the presence of multiple possible meanings. A vague statement lacks detail, while an ambiguous statement has conflicting or unclear interpretations. For example, "Meet me later" is vague, while "I did not say he stole the car" (emphasis on different words) is ambiguous.