Ambiguous

Pronunciation: /æmˈbɪɡjuəs/

Definitions of ambiguous

adjective open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning

Example Sentences

A1 The instructions were ambiguous, so I didn't know what to do.

A2 The teacher's explanation was ambiguous, leaving the students confused.

B1 The contract was written in ambiguous language, leading to misunderstandings.

B2 The politician's speech was intentionally ambiguous, allowing for multiple interpretations.

C1 The artist's work was intentionally ambiguous, inviting viewers to come up with their own meanings.

C2 The novel's ending was deliberately ambiguous, leaving readers to ponder its implications.

Examples of ambiguous in a Sentence

formal The contract language was intentionally ambiguous to allow for flexibility in interpretation.

informal I'm not sure what she meant, her message was so ambiguous.

slang His excuse was so ambiguous, I couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or not.

figurative The painting's meaning was intentionally ambiguous, leaving viewers to interpret it in their own way.

Grammatical Forms of ambiguous

• past tense: ambiguated
• plural: ambiguities
• comparative: more ambiguous
• superlative: most ambiguous
• present tense: ambiguates
• future tense: will ambiguize
• perfect tense: has ambiguized
• continuous tense: is ambiguating
• singular: ambiguous
• positive degree: ambiguous
• infinitive: to be ambiguous
• gerund: ambiguating
• participle: ambiguous

Origin and Evolution of ambiguous

First Known Use: 1528 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'ambiguous' comes from the Latin word 'ambiguus', which means 'having double meaning' or 'uncertain'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'ambiguous' has retained its original meaning of having double or uncertain meaning, but has also come to be used more broadly to describe anything that is unclear or open to interpretation.