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View synonyms for

ambiguous

[ am-big-yoo-uhs ]

adjective

  1. open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal:

    an ambiguous answer.

    Antonyms:

  2. Linguistics. (of an expression) exhibiting constructional homonymity; having two or more structural descriptions, as the sequence Flying planes can be dangerous.
  3. of doubtful or uncertain nature; difficult to comprehend, distinguish, or classify:

    a rock of ambiguous character.

    Synonyms: , , , ,

    Antonyms:

  4. lacking clearness or definiteness; obscure; indistinct: an ambiguous future.

    an ambiguous shape;

    an ambiguous future.

    Synonyms: ,

    Antonyms: , ,



ambiguous

/ æˈɪɡʊə /

adjective

  1. having more than one possible interpretation or meaning
  2. difficult to understand or classify; obscure
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈܴdzܲԱ, noun
  • ˈܴdzܲ, adverb
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Other yvlogs From

  • ·u·dzܲ· adverb
  • ·u·dzܲ·Ա noun
  • ܲa·u·dzܲ adjective
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of ambiguous1

First recorded in 1480–1500; from Latin ambiguus, equivalent to ambig(ere) “to dispute, contend; be undecided, doubt” (from ambi- prefix meaning “both, around” + -igere combining form of agere “to drive, lead, act”) + -uus adjective suffix; ambi-; -ous
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of ambiguous1

C16: from Latin ambiguus going here and there, uncertain, from ambigere to go around, from ambi- + agere to lead, act
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Synonym Study

ambiguous, equivocal, cryptic, enigmatic describe conditions or statements not clear in meaning. ambiguous can refer to a statement, act, or attitude that is capable of two or more often contradictory interpretations, usually accidentally or unintentionally so: an ambiguous passage in the preamble. equivocal, usually applied to spoken as well as written language, also means susceptible of two or more interpretations, and it usually suggests a deliberate intent to mislead by avoiding clarity: saving face with an equivocal response to an embarrassing question. cryptic usually refers to intentional obscurity, especially in language, and often implies a private or hidden meaning but stresses resultant mystification or puzzlement: a cryptic remark that left us struggling to interpret his intention. enigmatic focuses on perplexity resulting from a mysterious or imponderable event or utterance, often one of great importance or deep significance: prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries.
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Example Sentences

Where “Will” is told with a straightforward directness, confronting practical realities, “Nightshift” is a film of ambiguous evocation, existing in an interzone between waking, dreaming and nightmare.

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The Times spoke with the cast and creative team about the musical’s unabashed originality and ambiguous ending.

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What then, does a writer — a grieving brother — do with a case that begins in ambiguous circumstances?

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McPherson takes liberties, setting the play in 1900 central Ukraine and, perhaps more consequently, elucidating the psychology where Chekhov was a tad more ambiguous.

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Maybe the prominent placement of a lone young woman in the center intends to provide a protective shield, offering another ambiguous prospect.

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