EQUIVOCATING Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

equivocating 1 of 2

adjective

as in pretending

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Dissimilar Words

equivocating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of equivocate

as in weaseling

to avoid giving a definite answer or position the candidate equivocated as long as he could on controversial issues

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of equivocating

Adjective

Yet Hiller’s latest equivocating mea culpa, with the now-familiar language of hardship and defeatism so unbecoming of a professional hockey team, rang unconvincing. — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 13 Jan. 2026

Verb

This was after much pressing and equivocating, number one. — CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026 But the judge’s equivocating ruling in that piracy case created a loophole, according to Anthropic’s lawyers. — James Folta, Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026 While Abigail Spanberger stood with her running mate Jay Jones and his murderous fantasies, and evaded every direct question including equivocating over men being in locker rooms with girls. — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for equivocating

Adjective

There can be no more pretending, briefing or hiding.

— Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025

Definition of pretending

Verb

This tournament has built credibility by showcasing teams competing at a high level, then shaking hands afterward.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
An earth-shaking roar The World Cup finally arrived in Kansas City after several years of preparation and anticipation.

— Dominick Williams, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026

Definition of shaking

Adjective

Or means that any comments are supposedly hypocritical.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026
Earlier this month, Matsui’s campaign came after Vang for taking corporate donations from Sacramento-area businesses during her city council campaigns, implying that Vang’s vows to not accept money from corporate PACs in her congressional bid is hypocritical.

— Mathew Miranda June 4, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2026

Definition of hypocritical

Verb

The tournament’s special status — its unwillingness to place any person above the sport — is part of why Williams wanted to play singles, not just doubles with her sister Venus, after waffling on the decision.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Nothing kills momentum faster than waffling on a big decision.

— Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2026

Definition of waffling

Adjective

Infiltrate a swanky New York law firm that may be duplicitous in the opioid crisis, an epidemic that also happens to have taken the life of her daughter.

— Whitney Friedlander, Variety, 14 June 2026
The takeaway, then, isn’t that students are duplicitous and depraved or that technology has eroded their moral core.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 19 May 2026

Definition of duplicitous

Adjective

James Blair, the former White House political director who left his government job to coordinate the president’s midterm efforts, was evasive in an interview with Sean Spicer, a former Republican spokesman who hosts a podcast.

— Thomas Beaumont, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2026
James Blair, the former White House political director who left his government job to coordinate the president’s midterm efforts, was evasive in an interview with Sean Spicer, a former Republican spokesman who hosts a podcast.

— Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Definition of evasive

Adjective

The local gendarmerie, led by blandly untrustworthy Inspector Marchal (Bertrand Belin) is called in to investigate.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026
There is evidence that this tendency, known as the endowment effect, was favored by natural selection when bargains were risky in a pre-modern world, a time when giving over one item, in trade for another, might risk getting nothing at all from an untrustworthy trading partner.

— Owen D. Jones, The Conversation, 26 May 2026

Definition of untrustworthy

Browse Nearby Words

equivocates

equivocating

equivocation

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Style

“Equivocating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equivocating. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of equivocating

adjective

verb

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