Prevaricate
verb
To avoid giving a direct and clear answer, often to hide the truth.
The politician prevaricated when asked about tax increases.
Often appears as...
- prevaricate over something
- prevaricated about it
Usage tips
Formal
verb
To avoid giving a direct and clear answer, often to hide the truth.
The politician prevaricated when asked about tax increases.
Often appears as...
- prevaricate over something
- prevaricated about it
Usage tips
Formal
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Indirect Answers
Prevaricate is used when someone doesn't answer questions directly, often to avoid the truth.
When asked about his plans for the weekend, he prevaricated, mentioning many possible options.
Pro Tip 2/3Hiding Discomfort
People might prevaricate when they feel uncomfortable or want to avoid conflict.
She prevaricated on her opinion about the movie, not wanting to upset her friends who loved it.
Pro Tip 3/3Delaying Tactics
Prevaricating can be a strategy to delay or avoid making a decision or commitment.
He prevaricated on his project deadline, mentioning various unforeseen complications.
Pro Tip 1/3Indirect Answers
Prevaricate is used when someone doesn't answer questions directly, often to avoid the truth.
When asked about his plans for the weekend, he prevaricated, mentioning many possible options.
Pro Tip 2/3Hiding Discomfort
People might prevaricate when they feel uncomfortable or want to avoid conflict.
She prevaricated on her opinion about the movie, not wanting to upset her friends who loved it.
Pro Tip 3/3Delaying Tactics
Prevaricating can be a strategy to delay or avoid making a decision or commitment.
He prevaricated on his project deadline, mentioning various unforeseen complications.
Pro Tip 1/3Indirect Answers
Prevaricate is used when someone doesn't answer questions directly, often to avoid the truth.
When asked about his plans for the weekend, he prevaricated, mentioning many possible options.
Pro Tip 2/3Hiding Discomfort
People might prevaricate when they feel uncomfortable or want to avoid conflict.
She prevaricated on her opinion about the movie, not wanting to upset her friends who loved it.
Pro Tip 3/3Delaying Tactics
Prevaricating can be a strategy to delay or avoid making a decision or commitment.
He prevaricated on his project deadline, mentioning various unforeseen complications.
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Video examples
How to Write Less but...
it still works effectively keep it simple if you're going to write about a banana you're not going to call it an elongated yellow piece of fruit you're going to call it a banana if you're going to talk about someone lying you're not going to say prevaricate you're going to say lie
Video examples
How to Write Less but...
it still works effectively keep it simple if you're going to write about a banana you're not going to call it an elongated yellow piece of fruit you're going to call it a banana if you're going to talk about someone lying you're not going to say prevaricate you're going to say lie
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Jake Tapper
American Journalist
Don't get me wrong: politicians have been lying for a long time, long before Donald Trump was born, but the degree of just nonstop rage, grievance, prevarication, I haven't seen, probably because we haven't had a direct line from a politician's id to the public before.
Quote examples
Robin Marantz Henig
Writer
The English language has 112 words for deception, according to one count, each with a different shade of meaning: collusion, fakery, malingering, self-deception, confabulation, prevarication, exaggeration, denial.
Quote examples
Goldwin Smith
Canadian Historian
If it were a real effort to live in the Middle Ages, your life would be one perpetual prevarication.
Quote examples
Anna Wintour
English Editor
Even if you aren't sure of yourself, pretend that you are... most people prevaricate.
Quote examples
Parineeti Chopra
Indian Actress
I cannot stand dishonesty among people, the tendency to prevaricate.
Quote examples
Jake Tapper
American Journalist
Don't get me wrong: politicians have been lying for a long time, long before Donald Trump was born, but the degree of just nonstop rage, grievance, prevarication, I haven't seen, probably because we haven't had a direct line from a politician's id to the public before.
Quote examples
Robin Marantz Henig
Writer
The English language has 112 words for deception, according to one count, each with a different shade of meaning: collusion, fakery, malingering, self-deception, confabulation, prevarication, exaggeration, denial.
Quote examples
Goldwin Smith
Canadian Historian
If it were a real effort to live in the Middle Ages, your life would be one perpetual prevarication.
Quote examples
Anna Wintour
English Editor
Even if you aren't sure of yourself, pretend that you are... most people prevaricate.
Quote examples
Parineeti Chopra
Indian Actress
I cannot stand dishonesty among people, the tendency to prevaricate.
Example 1 of 5
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