equivocal
8 synonyms and 6 antonyms for equivocal, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Open to more than one interpretation, often deliberately so, and therefore hard to pin down.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adjective
Open to more than one interpretation, often deliberately so, and therefore hard to pin down.
“He gave an equivocal answer that committed him to nothing.”
Opposites
2. adjective
Of evidence or results: inconclusive, pointing in no clear direction.
“The blood test came back equivocal, so it was repeated a week later.”
Opposites
How to use equivocal
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Formal in everyday use; a precise technical term in laboratory reporting.
Etymology
From Late Latin aequivocus 'of equal voice, ambiguous', from aequus 'equal' and vocare 'to call'.
Full origin of equivocal →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between equivocal and ambiguous?
Ambiguous simply means a thing can be read two ways, often by accident. Equivocal usually carries a hint of intent or of unhelpful vagueness — an equivocal reply is one that dodges. In medicine and science, equivocal has the extra technical sense of 'inconclusive'.
What does an equivocal test result mean?
It means the result fell in the grey zone between positive and negative, so the lab cannot call it either way. It is not a diagnosis; the usual next step is to repeat the test or run a different one.