equivocate
- To use ambiguous or vague language in order to avoid committing to a clear position or to mislead.
In a sentence
- When asked about the missing funds, the treasurer began to equivocate, giving no direct answer.
- Good diplomacy sometimes requires knowing when to equivocate and when to speak plainly.
Usage note. Equivocate specifically involves using language that can be interpreted two ways to avoid lying outright; it is stronger and more deliberate than simply being vague.
Where it comes from
English equivocate · entered English late 16th c.
From medieval Latin aequivocare, from aequivocus ('of equal voice, ambiguous'), itself from Latin aequus ('equal') and vox ('voice, word'). The word entered English in the late 16th century.