Definitions for ambiguous
æmˈbɪg yu əsam·bigu·ous

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. equivocal, ambiguousadjective

   open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead

   "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"

2. ambiguousadjective

   having more than one possible meaning

   "ambiguous words"; "frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy"

3. ambiguousadjective

   having no intrinsic or objective meaning; not organized in conventional patterns

   "an ambiguous situation with no frame of reference"; "ambiguous inkblots"

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. ambiguousadjective

   Open to multiple interpretations.

   The politician was criticized for his ambiguous statements and lack of precision.

2. ambiguousadjective

   Vague and unclear.

   He gave an ambiguous answer.

3. ambiguousadjective

   Of persons: hesitant; uncertain; not taking sides.

   Thomas Salusbury (1662): And forasmuch as in this same question I am ambiguous, and Simplicius is resolute....

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. AMBIGUOUSadjective

   Etymology: ambiguus, Lat.

   1. Doubtful; having two meanings; of uncertain signification.

   But what have been thy answers, what but dark,
   Ambiguous, and with doubtful sense deluding. Par. Regain.

   Some expressions in the covenant were ambiguous, and were left so; because the persons who framed them, were not all of one mind. Edward Hyde, b. viii.

   2. Applied to persons using doubtful expressions. It is applied to expressions, or those that use them, not to a dubious, or suspended state of mind.

   Th’ ambiguous god, who rul’d her lab’ring breast,
   In these mysterious words his mind exprest;
   Some truths reveal’d, in terms involv’d the rest. Dryd.

   Silence at length the gay Antinous broke,
   Constrain’d a smile, and thus ambiguous spoke. Alexander Pope, Odyss.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ambiguous

   Ambiguity is the type of meaning in which a phrase, statement or resolution is not explicitly defined, making several interpretations plausible. A common aspect of ambiguity is uncertainty. It is thus an attribute of any idea or statement whose intended meaning cannot be definitively resolved, according to a rule or process with a finite number of steps. (The ambi- part of the term reflects an idea of "two," as in "two meanings.") The concept of ambiguity is generally contrasted with vagueness. In ambiguity, specific and distinct interpretations are permitted (although some may not be immediately obvious), whereas with information that is vague, it is difficult to form any interpretation at the desired level of specificity.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. ambiguous

   Ambiguous refers to something that is unclear, uncertain, or open to more than one interpretation. It often occurs in situations, statements, or information that lack clarity or definiteness, leading to possible confusion or misunderstanding.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ambiguousadjective

   doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Ambiguous

   am-big′ū-us, adj. of doubtful signification: indistinct: wavering or uncertain: equivocal.—n. Ambigū′ity, uncertainty or dubiousness of meaning—also Ambig′uousness.—adv. Ambig′uously. [L. ambiguus—ambigĕre, to go about—ambi, about, agĕre, to drive.]

Matched Categories

1. • Psychology

How to pronounce ambiguous?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

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   Mark

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   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

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   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

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   Zira

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   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

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   Fred

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   Tessa

   South African

How to say ambiguous in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of ambiguous in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of ambiguous in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of ambiguous in a Sentence

1. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov:

   Within the U.S.-led coalition there should no ambiguous talk about any ‘Plan B’, about a ground operation being planned, or about the creation of some buffer no-fly zones, which have long been recognized as absolutely unacceptable.

2. Craig Allen:

   Going down the line, Donald Trump can see what was left ambiguous.

3. Regal Cinemas:

   Due to the wavering support of the film 'The Interview' by Sony Pictures, as well as the ambiguous nature of any real or perceived security threats, Regal Entertainment Group has decided to delay the opening of the film in our theatres.

4. Donald Trump:

   China will be buying massive amounts of product from us, including agricultural, from our farmers -- tremendous amount of agricultural and other products, going down the line, Donald Trump can see what was left ambiguous.

5. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin:

   The bill is so ambiguous and so vague that doctors cannot be certain what medical circumstances would be considered ‘necessary to preserve the life of the mother,’ the absence of any definition, analysis or medical standard renders this exception vague, indefinite and vulnerable to subjective interpretation and application.

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=ambiguous
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ambiguous
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=ambiguous
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambiguous
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambiguous
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=ambiguous