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 officers equivocal behavior increased the victims uneasiness; popularity is an equivocal crown; an equivocal response to an embarrassing question

[ Syn: equivocal ]

having more than one possible meaning; ambiguous words; frustrated by ambiguous instructions, the parents were unable to assemble the toy'

having no intrinsic or objective meaning; not organized in conventional patterns; an ambiguous situation with no frame of reference; ambiguous inkblots'