What does ambiguous mean?

Definitions for ambiguous
æmˈbɪg yu əsam·bigu·ous

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word ambiguous.

Princeton's WordNet

  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"

Wiktionary

  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 Dictionary

  1. AMBIGUOUSadjective

    Etymology: ambiguus, Lat.

    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.

    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.

Wikipedia

  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.

ChatGPT

  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 Dictionary

  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 Dictionary

  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. ambiguusambigĕre, to go about—ambi, about, agĕre, to drive.]

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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. Andreas Beer:

    If you take a look at the Joker, it's an ambiguous mixture between something funny and something menacing, it's a horror clown and that's kind of, somehow cool. You can make memes of that.

  2. Trump Jr.:

    After pleasantries were exchanged, the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Ms. Clinton, her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided or even offered.

  3. Laksheish M Patel:

    The ways how SBICAP broker makes clients to loss money 1) Trading platform is clamp down during market fall 2) No command is accepted by trading platform when market swings and at closing session 3) Whole screen or transaction page of trading platform gets whitewashed especially during sudden surge or downfall 4) Accounting system is ambiguous and tricky 5) Automated reply to each complaints and not resolving. No real customer service

  4. Craig Allen:

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

  5. Lois Greenfield:

    And out of this improvisation comes a moment that can't be part of a dance, it becomes more of a personal moment, a moment about expressive gestures. And they're often, I call them, enigmatic or ambiguous moments.

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"ambiguous." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/ambiguous>.

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