What does prevaricating mean?
To prevaricate is to avoid stating the truth or giving a direct answer. The word is more specific than simply avoiding a question: it suggests that the person is speaking in a way that conceals facts, uses ambiguity, or refuses to commit to a clear position. Prevarication is especially associated with formal discussions of politics, law, public inquiries, and institutional accountability, where candor is expected. In ordinary conversation, one might say that someone is dodging the issue, hedging, or refusing to answer, but “prevaricate” gives those actions a more critical and elevated tone. It is a useful word for describing evasive communication, particularly when the speaker appears to be evading responsibility rather than merely lacking the time or information to respond.
verbTo speak evasively or misleadingly, especially by avoiding a direct answer or using vague or deliberately ambiguous language.
- To avoid giving a direct, truthful, or complete answer.
- To use evasive or deliberately ambiguous language, especially as a means of avoiding responsibility or evading a question.
"The witness continued to prevaricate, offering every possible answer except the one the court had asked for."
"Rather than admit that the plan had failed, the minister began to prevaricate."
"The report criticized the committee for prevaricating in its account of the incident."
Prevaricating comes from a Latin word for striding or swerving aside, so the word has long described the rhetorical art of dodging the question.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does prevaricating come from?
The word comes from Latin praevaricari, meaning “to straddle, stand apart, or swerve,” and in Roman usage it referred especially to a legal accusation that was irregular or improperly directed. In English, its meaning developed in the 16th century to include making evasive or misleading statements. The related noun prevarication and agent noun prevaricator have followed the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How prevaricating is actually used
Prevaricate is formal and generally carries a negative connotation, implying that someone is being evasive or evasively misleading. It is especially common in legal, political, and journalistic contexts.
Easily confused with prevaricating
Prevaricate means to avoid giving a clear or truthful answer, whereas vacillate means to change one's opinion, intention, or course of action.