Finesentence mobile logo
Sign in Login / Register

Prevaricating: meaning, definitions and examples

🤥
Add to dictionary

prevaricating

 

[ prɛˈverɪkeɪt ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

truth evasion

To prevaricate means to speak or act in an evasive way. It often implies avoiding truthful or straightforward answers, particularly when one is trying to obscure the truth or mislead others. The term suggests a reluctance to provide clear communication, often in situations that require honesty or clarity. Prevaricating is commonly associated with a lack of commitment to the truth or a desire to manipulate the perception of information.

Synonyms

dithering, equivocating, fibbing, vacillating.

Examples of usage

  • He started prevaricating during the interview when asked about his previous employment.
  • Instead of answering the question directly, she began to prevaricate.
  • Politicians are often criticized for prevaricating on important issues.

Translations

Translations of the word "prevaricating" in other languages:

🇵🇹 prevaricando

🇮🇳 धोखाधड़ी करना

🇩🇪 vorenthalten

🇮🇩 menipu

🇺🇦 ухилятися

🇵🇱 przeciągać

🇯🇵 ごまかす

🇫🇷 prévarication

🇪🇸 prevaricación

🇹🇷 sözde kalmak

🇰🇷 속이다

🇸🇦 التلاعب

🇨🇿 zacházet

🇸🇰 vyhýbať sa

🇨🇳 推诿

🇸🇮 zavajati

🇮🇸 hagræðing

🇰🇿 алаяқтық жасау

🇬🇪 დატყუება

🇦🇿 aldatma

🇲🇽 prevaricación

Etymology

The word 'prevaricate' originates from the Latin verb 'praevaricari', which means to 'stray' or 'deviate'. The Latin term is a combination of 'prae', meaning 'before', and 'varicari', meaning 'to stumble' or 'to straddle', which conveys the idea of taking a position that is not straightforward. In the early 17th century, the term made its way into the English language, primarily used in legal and rhetorical contexts to describe a speaker who was intentionally ambiguous or misleading. Over time, it has become more broadly used to portray any act of avoidance or deceit in communication, reflecting the ongoing human tendency to distort truth for various motives.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #39,158, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.