English adjective: ambiguous | |||
1. | ambiguous open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead | ||
Samples | An equivocal statement. The polling had a complex and equivocal (or ambiguous) message for potential female candidates. The officer's equivocal behavior increased the victim's uneasiness. Popularity is an equivocal crown. An equivocal response to an embarrassing question. | ||
Synonyms | equivocal | ||
Similar | double, evasive, forked, indeterminate | ||
See also | ambiguous | ||
Antonyms | unequivocal, univocal, unambiguous | ||
2. | ambiguous having more than one possible meaning | ||
Samples | Ambiguous words. Frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy. | ||
Similar | double-barreled, double-barrelled, double-edged, enigmatic, left-handed, multi-valued, multivalent, oracular, polysemantic, polysemous, uncertain | ||
See also | ambiguous, equivocal, unclear | ||
Antonyms | unambiguous | ||
3. | ambiguous having no intrinsic or objective meaning; not organized in conventional patterns | ||
Samples | An ambiguous situation with no frame of reference. Ambiguous inkblots. | ||
Similar | unstructured | ||
Domain category | psychological science, psychology | ||
Antonyms | structured | ||