as in to weasel
to avoid giving a definite answer or position
the candidate equivocated as long as he could on controversial issues
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Recent Examples of equivocate
Hoping to entice equivocating consumers, retailers already have spent weeks bombarding customers with ads and early offers.
—
Chris Morris, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2024
Asked in a recent interview with Vanity Fair if homophobia limited his opportunities, Lane equivocated a bit and then offered one specific example.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2025
For all the shortcomings in this nationwide effort, most Germans today set an example of remorse that shames Turkish nationalist leaders equivocating about the Armenian genocide, or rightist Japanese politicians visiting the Yasukuni war shrine in Tokyo that honors Class A war criminals.
—Gary J. Bass, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
Less than 10 minutes into a British parliamentary hearing on Tuesday, during which a Shein representative equivocated on questions relating to the e-tail Goliath’s supply chain and a potential public float, a visibly frustrated Member of Parliament made his feelings known in no uncertain terms.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for equivocate
Chris Morris, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2024
Asked in a recent interview with Vanity Fair if homophobia limited his opportunities, Lane equivocated a bit and then offered one specific example.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2025
For all the shortcomings in this nationwide effort, most Germans today set an example of remorse that shames Turkish nationalist leaders equivocating about the Armenian genocide, or rightist Japanese politicians visiting the Yasukuni war shrine in Tokyo that honors Class A war criminals.
—Gary J. Bass, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
Less than 10 minutes into a British parliamentary hearing on Tuesday, during which a Shein representative equivocated on questions relating to the e-tail Goliath’s supply chain and a potential public float, a visibly frustrated Member of Parliament made his feelings known in no uncertain terms.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for equivocate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for equivocate
Verb
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Trying to weasel things by providing additional levels is abhorrent.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
20 Nov. 2024
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But when Douglas doesn’t invite her to the business dinner, the show suddenly takes a turn into wacky sitcom territory, with Maxine trying to weasel her way into Douglas’s business to meet and invite the Prince to the Beach Ball.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2024
Verb
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In 2023, Turkey experienced one of the world's most deadly quakes, a 7.8 magnitude event that shook southern Turkey and northern Syria, killing more than 55,000 people.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
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On Tuesday, not so much, the Lakers showing their clear dominance in every area backed by a legendarily springtime loud home crowd that annually shakes, rattles and rolls.—
Bill Plaschke,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Equivocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/equivocate. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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