Equivocate vs. Prevaricate – Which is Correct?

While often used interchangeably, equivocate and prevaricate describe distinct forms of misleading communication. Equivocate means to use ambiguous language to avoid committing to a position or telling the full truth. Prevaricate, on the other hand, means to speak evasively or misleadingly to avoid the truth, often by deliberately creating a false impression. Both involve avoiding direct honesty, but equivocation is about vagueness, while prevarication is about distortion.

Equivocate or Prevaricate – Which is Correct?

Both equivocate and prevaricate are correct and valid verbs in American English, but they describe different methods of being less than forthright. The core distinction lies in the intent and method of deception. Equivocating involves using vague, ambiguous, or double-meaning language to avoid making a direct statement or commitment. The speaker might choose words that can be interpreted in multiple ways, thereby sidestepping a direct answer without uttering an outright falsehood. This is often a defensive strategy to avoid blame or responsibility.

The use of ambiguous language in equivocation highlights the importance of understanding distinctions like Ambiguity vs. Ambivalence in communication.

Prevaricating, conversely, means to speak evasively or misleadingly, often by stretching the truth or creating a false impression through indirect statements. While not always a direct lie, it involves deliberately obscuring or distorting facts to avoid revealing the truth. A prevaricator is actively trying to mislead, often by introducing irrelevant details or half-truths to divert attention.

The Best Trick to Remember the Difference

To remember the difference, think of it this way:

• Equivocate = Evasive with words. You’re using ambiguous language to avoid a direct answer, keeping your options open. Think of “equal” or “equivalent” meanings, allowing for multiple interpretations.
• Prevaricate = Perverting the truth. You’re deliberately distorting or stretching the facts, often by introducing misleading statements or half-truths to obscure what actually happened.

Another trick is the “Direct Question Test”: If someone asks a direct “yes” or “no” question, an equivocator will give a long, winding answer that avoids “yes” or “no.” A prevaricator might give an answer that sounds plausible but contains subtle distortions or omits crucial information, leading you to an incorrect conclusion.

Word	Part of Speech	Meaning	Example
Equivocate	Verb	To use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.	When asked about the budget cuts, the spokesperson continued to equivocate, never directly confirming or denying the rumors.
Prevaricate	Verb	To speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression.	The witness was accused of trying to prevaricate by offering vague details and irrelevant information during cross-examination.

How to Use Equivocate

To equivocate means to use unclear or ambiguous language, usually to avoid giving a direct answer or committing to a particular stance. It implies a deliberate lack of clarity, often to evade responsibility, avoid offending someone, or buy time. The tone can range from cautious and diplomatic to deliberately deceptive. It’s often associated with politicians, diplomats, or anyone trying to navigate a sensitive situation without revealing their true intentions or precise details.

Example 1: When pressed about his stance on the controversial policy, the senator managed to equivocate for ten minutes, leaving everyone unsure of his true position.

Example 2: Rather than admit she broke the vase, the child began to equivocate, talking about how the cat was playing near the shelf.

Example 3: The CEO’s statement on the company’s financial health was so full of jargon and vague promises that many felt he was intentionally trying to equivocate.

What are the different forms of Equivocate?

Equivocate is a regular verb. Its forms are:

• Base form: equivocate (e.g., They equivocate.)
• Past tense: equivocated (e.g., He equivocated yesterday.)
• Past participle: equivocated (e.g., She has equivocated on that issue for years.)
• Present participle/Gerund: equivocating (e.g., He is equivocating. or Equivocating won’t help.)
• Third-person singular present: equivocates (e.g., She equivocates.)
• Noun form: equivocation (e.g., His equivocation was frustrating.)
• Adjective form: equivocal (e.g., Her answer was equivocal.)

Etymology of the word Equivocate

The word equivocate traces its origins back to the late 16th century, deriving from the Latin aequivocare, meaning “to call by the same name.” This is formed from aequus (“equal”) and vocare (“to call”). Essentially, it means to “say the same thing” but with “equal voices” or “equal meanings,” implying that words can be interpreted in more than one way, thus allowing for ambiguity or double meaning.

How to Use Prevaricate

To prevaricate means to speak evasively or misleadingly, often by deliberately distorting the truth or creating a false impression without outright lying. It goes beyond mere ambiguity; it involves an active attempt to mislead or deceive by offering half-truths, irrelevant details, or by framing information in a way that suggests something untrue. This term is often used when someone is intentionally trying to conceal facts, avoid blame, or manipulate perceptions.

Example 1: During the investigation, the politician chose to prevaricate about his involvement, providing selective information that painted a misleading picture.

Example 2: Instead of admitting she had forgotten her homework, the student began to prevaricate about a sudden illness and a power outage.

Example 3: The defense lawyer accused the witness of attempting to prevaricate when he changed his story multiple times under oath.

What are the different forms of Prevaricate?

Prevaricate is a regular verb. Its forms are:

• Base form: prevaricate (e.g., They prevaricate.)
• Past tense: prevaricated (e.g., He prevaricated yesterday.)
• Past participle: prevaricated (e.g., She has prevaricated about her past.)
• Present participle/Gerund: prevaricating (e.g., He is prevaricating. or Prevaricating can damage trust.)
• Third-person singular present: prevaricates (e.g., She prevaricates.)
• Noun form: prevarication (e.g., His prevarication was evident.)

Etymology of the word Prevaricate

The word prevaricate comes from the Latin praevaricari, meaning “to walk crookedly,” “to make a sham,” or “to go astray.” This term was originally used in Roman law to describe an advocate who colluded with the opposing side or betrayed their client. It is formed from prae (“before”) and varicare (“to straddle,” “to spread apart the legs,” from varus “bow-legged”). The sense evolved into “deviate from the straight path,” metaphorically meaning to deviate from the truth.

Related Concepts

Understanding broader concepts related to communication and truthfulness can further clarify the distinct nuances between equivocation and prevarication.

• Ambiguity: This refers to the quality of being open to more than one interpretation. Equivocation relies heavily on ambiguity, using words or phrases that can be understood in multiple ways to avoid a clear commitment.
• Deception: This is the act of causing someone to believe something that is not true, typically for personal gain or to conceal the truth. Both equivocation and prevarication are forms of deception, though they employ different tactics.
• Euphemism: A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing. While euphemisms can be a form of equivocation, their primary intent is often to soften language rather than deliberately mislead.
• Paltering: This is a form of deception that involves using truthful statements to mislead. The speaker says things that are technically true but are carefully selected to create a false impression. Prevarication often involves paltering.

Examples from Media and Literature

• In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the gravediggers equivocate about whether Ophelia deserved a Christian burial, using legalistic and ambiguous language to debate the fine points of suicide.
• A common tactic in political interviews is for a candidate to equivocate on a sensitive issue, giving broad answers that appeal to different voter groups without taking a firm stance.
• In news reports about corporate scandals, spokespeople often prevaricate, releasing statements that are technically factual but omit crucial details, leading the public to incorrect conclusions about culpability.
• The character of Uriah Heep in Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield often prevaricates, feigning humility and honesty while subtly manipulating situations for his own gain.
• When asked by a journalist if the company was planning layoffs, the HR director might equivocate by saying, “We are constantly evaluating our operational efficiencies to ensure long-term stability,” rather than giving a direct answer.
• A child caught with cookies before dinner might prevaricate by saying, “I was just checking if the cookie jar was empty,” hoping to distract from the fact they just ate one.

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

1. The politician tried to __________ about his campaign funding, but the reporters pressed him for a direct answer.
2. When asked if he had finished his chores, the teenager began to __________ about how busy he was with homework, avoiding a direct “no.”
3. The witness was accused of trying to __________ by providing a confusing timeline of events, hoping to obscure the truth.
4. To avoid committing to a specific date, the project manager decided to __________ when giving updates to the client.
5. Her tendency to __________ made it difficult to trust anything she said, as her statements always seemed to twist the facts.

Answer Key

1. equivocate
2. prevaricate
3. prevaricate
4. equivocate
5. prevaricate

Equivocate Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
Hedge	To limit or qualify (something) by conditions or exceptions; avoid making a direct statement.
Fudge	To present or deal with (something) in a vague, noncommittal, or dishonest way.
Quibble	To argue or raise objections about a trivial matter; to use ambiguous or evasive language.
Waffle	To speak or write at length in a vague or indecisive way.
Dodge	To avoid (something) by a sudden quick movement; to avoid by trickery or deceit.

Prevaricate Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
Lie	To make an intentionally false statement. (Prevaricate is often a softer form of this, involving distortion rather than outright falsehood.)
Deceive	To cause (someone) to believe something that is not true, typically in order to gain some personal advantage.
Mislead	To cause (someone) to have a wrong idea or impression about someone or something.
Distort	To pull or twist out of shape; to give a misleading or false account or impression of.
Falsify	To alter (information or evidence) so as to mislead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Are equivocate and prevaricate interchangeable?
No, while both involve a lack of direct honesty, they are not interchangeable. Equivocate refers to using ambiguous language to avoid a direct answer, whereas prevaricate means to speak misleadingly or distort the truth, often through half-truths or irrelevant details. Understanding the nuance is key to precise communication.

Question 2: What’s the main difference between equivocating and outright lying?
An outright lie is a direct false statement. Equivocating is more subtle; it involves using language that is technically not false but is so vague or ambiguous that it avoids a clear truth or commitment. It’s about obscuring rather than fabricating.

Question 3: Is prevaricating always a lie?
Not necessarily an outright lie. Prevaricating often involves telling half-truths, omitting crucial information, or subtly distorting facts to create a false impression. While it aims to deceive, it might not involve a statement that is entirely false, unlike a direct lie.

Conclusion

In summary, while both equivocate and prevaricate describe instances where truth is obscured, they do so through different means. To equivocate is to be deliberately ambiguous, using vague language to avoid commitment or direct answers. To prevaricate is to speak misleadingly, distorting facts or offering half-truths to create a false impression. Recognizing these distinctions is crucial for clear communication and for accurately describing instances of less-than-forthright speech.

Pro Tip: In professional and personal contexts, precise language fosters trust. Understanding the difference between equivocating and prevaricating allows you to identify and address dishonest communication more effectively, ensuring clarity and accountability.