Ambiguous Definition & Meaning

ambiguous
adjective
  1. 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. having more than one possible meaning; "ambiguous words"; "frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy"
  3. having no intrinsic or objective meaning; not organized in conventional patterns; "an ambiguous situation with no frame of reference"; "ambiguous inkblots"

Synonyms for ambiguous

ambivalent adj

uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow; "was ambivalent about having children"

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
double adv

downward and forward; "he was bent double with pain" two together

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
enigmatic adj

not clear to the understanding; "I didn't grasp the meaning of that enigmatic comment until much later

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
equivocal adj

open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
evasive adj

deliberately vague or ambiguous; "his answers were brief, constrained and evasive

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
forked adj

resembling a fork; divided or separated into two branches; "the biramous appendages of an arthropod

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
indeterminate adj

not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance; "of indeterminate age

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
multivalent adj

used of the association of three or more homologous chromosomes during the first division of meiosis having more than

♫ Rhymes
oracular adj

of or relating to an oracle; "able by oracular means to expose a witch" obscurely prophetic; "Delphic pronouncements

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms
uncertain adj

lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance; "uncertain of his convictions

♫ Rhymes ↔ Synonyms

"Ambiguous" in song lyrics

See how ambiguous is used in real songs:

  • "Did you forget you was ambiguous"
    Kool Moe Dee — I'm Hittin' Hard
  • "definition of ambiguous"
    AOL — AOL

Words that rhyme with ambiguous

See all rhymes for ambiguous →

Usage tips for "ambiguous"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "ambiguous" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for ambiguous to find words that pair well.

Use "ambiguous" in a verse

Now that you know what "ambiguous" means, try using it in your own lyrics:

Generate a verse

Explore more

♫ Rhymes with ambiguous ↔ Synonyms for ambiguous 🔬 Words containing ambiguous

Frequently asked questions

What does ambiguous mean?
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" having more than one possible meaning; "ambiguous words
What part of speech is ambiguous?
Ambiguous is an adjective.
How many definitions does ambiguous have?
Ambiguous has 3 definitions across 1 part of speech (adjective).

Explore More Word Tools

Look up another word