Meaning of ambiguous in English
Classifying Adjective
ambiguousDefinitions
1. having no intrinsic or objective meaningExamples
- « not organized in conventional patterns »
- « an ambiguous situation with no frame of reference »
- « ambiguous inkblots »
Synonyms
Qualitative Adjective
ambiguousEtymology
early 16th century (in the sense ‘indistinct, obscure’): from Latin ambiguus‘doubtful’ (from ambigere‘waver, go around’, from ambi-‘both ways’ + agere‘to drive’) + -ousDefinitions
1. open to two or more interpretationsExamples
- « 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 equivo »
Synonyms
Antonyms
- 2. having more than one possible meaning
Examples
- « ambiguous words »
- « frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy »
Synonyms
- double-barreled
- double-barrelled
- double-edged
- enigmatic
- oracular
- left-handed
- multivalent
- multi-valued
- polysemous
- polysemantic
- uncertain
Antonyms