| Main Entry: | equivocal |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | doubtful, uncertain |
Synonyms: |
ambiguous, ambivalent, amphibological, borderline, clear as mud, clouded, disreputable, dubious, evasive, fishy, fuzzy*, hazy*, indefinite, indeterminate, indistinct, misleading, muddled, muzzy, oblique, obscure, open, problematic, puzzling, questionable, suspect, suspicious, tenebrous, unclear, undecided, unexplicit, unintelligible, vague, with mixed feelings |
| Notes: | ambiguous is vague by accident or intent; equivocal is vague by intent |
Antonyms: |
certain, clear, definite, determined, obvious, plain, sure, unequivocal, unquestionable |
| Main Entry: | ambiguous |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | having more than one meaning |
Synonyms: |
clear as dishwater, cryptic, doubtful, dubious, enigmatic, enigmatical, equivocal, inconclusive, indefinite, indeterminate, inexplicit, muddy, multivocal, obscure, opaque, polysemous, puzzling, questionable, tenebrous, uncertain, unclear, unintelligible, vague |
| Notes: | ambiguous is vague by accident or intent; equivocal is vague by intent |
Antonyms: |
clear, definite, explicit, lucid |
| Main Entry: | ambivalent |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | conflicting |
Synonyms: |
clashing, contradictory, debatable, doubtful, equivocal, fluctuating, hesitant, inconclusive, irresolute, mixed, opposed, uncertain, undecided, unresolved, unsure, vacillating, warring, wavering |
Antonyms: |
certain, definite, resolved, settled, sure, unequivocal |
| Main Entry: | apocryphal |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | questionable; fake |
Synonyms: |
counterfeit, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, false, fictitious, inaccurate, mythical, spurious, unauthenticated, ungenuine, unsubstantiated, untrue, unverified, wrong |
Antonyms: |
authentic, doubtless, real, true |
| Main Entry: | backhanded |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | underhanded |
Synonyms: |
ambiguous, double-edged, equivocal, sarcastic, sardonic, two-edged |
| Main Entry: | borderline |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | inexact |
Synonyms: |
ambiguous, ambivalent, doubtful, dubitable, equivocal, indecisive, indefinite, indeterminate, marginal, open, problematic, uncertain, unclassifiable, unclear, undecided, unsettled |
Antonyms: |
certain, definite, exact, sure |
| Main Entry: | cryptic |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | secret; obscure in meaning |
Synonyms: |
Delphian, Delphic, abstruse, ambiguous, apocryphal, arcane, cabalistic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, esoteric, evasive, hidden, incomprehensible, inexplicable, murky, mysterious, mystic, mystical, mystifying, occult, opaque, oracular, perplexing, puzzling, recondite, secretive, strange, tenebrous, unclear, unfathomable, uninformative, vague, veiled |
Antonyms: |
clear, obvious, plain, seen, straightforward |
| Main Entry: | doubtful |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | questionable, unclear |
Synonyms: |
ambiguous, borderline, chancy, clouded, contingent, debatable, dicey, disreputable, doubtable, dubious, dubitable, equivocal, far-fetched, fat chance, fishy, hazardous, hazy, iffy, impugnable, inconclusive, indecisive, indefinite, indeterminate, indistinct, insecure, long shot, obscure, on thin ice, open, pending, precarious, problematic, shady, sneaky*, speculative, suspect, suspicious, touch-and-go, touchy, uncertain, unconfirmed, undecided, uneasy, unsettled, unstable, unsure, up for grabs |
Antonyms: |
certain, clear, confirmed, decided, definite, exact, resolved, settled, unquestionable |
| Main Entry: | doubtful |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | not believing |
Synonyms: |
agnostic, baffled, confused, discomposed, disconcerted, distracted, distrustful, disturbed, doubting, dubious, equivocal, faithless, faltering, flustered, hesitant, hesitating, in a quandary, in clouds, in dilemma, indecisive, irresolute, like doubting Thomas, lost, not following, of two minds, perplexed, puzzled, questioning, skeptical, suspicious, tentative, theoretical, troubled, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unresolved, unsettled, unsure, vacillating, wavering, without belief |
Antonyms: |
believing, certain, confident, convinced, sure, trusting |
| Main Entry: | dubious |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | doubtful |
Synonyms: |
arguable, chancy, debatable, diffident, disputable, dubitable, equivocal, far-fetched, fishy, fly-by-night, hesitant, iffy, improbable, indecisive, moot, mootable, open, perplexed, problematic, questionable, reluctant, shady, skeptical, suspect, suspicious, touch and go, trustless, unassured, uncertain, unclear, unconvinced, undecided, undependable, unlikely, unreliable, unsure, untrustworthy, untrusty, wavering |
Antonyms: |
certain, definite, doubtless, positive, reliable, sure, trustworthy, trusty, undoubtful |