Synonyms for tergiversate
Most common
Definitions
- v. 1
To evade, to equivocate using subterfuge; to obfuscate in a deliberate manner.
Related words
- Word family
- tergiversation tergiversator
Forms
- Past participle
- tergiversated
e.g. tergiversated → prevaricated, equivocated, paltered, deserted…
Example sentences
- equivocate I knew that Tom would equivocate.
- desert The wreckage of the plane was found in the desert.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| tergiversate | steady | |
| equivocate | steady | |
| prevaricate | rising | |
| palter | steady | |
| desert | rising | |
| apostatize | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 6 letters
- desert2, palter
- 10 letters
- equivocate4, apostatize, apostatise, tergiverse
- 11 letters
- prevaricate4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (desert2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- tergiverser