Doubletalk

Doubletalk is deceptive or evasive speech that is deliberately ambiguous, obscure, or contradictory. It is often used to confuse, mislead, or conceal the truth. The speaker may use jargon, clichés, or empty rhetoric to create an illusion of communication while actually saying very little of substance. This form of communication is often employed in politics, business, and other situations where the speaker wants to avoid committing to a clear position or answering a difficult question directly. The aim is usually to manipulate perceptions and avoid accountability.

Doubletalk meaning with examples

• The politician's press conference was filled with doubletalk, offering vague promises and avoiding any specifics about his proposed policies. The audience was left frustrated, unsure of his actual stances or how he planned to address the pressing issues facing the community. It was clear he wanted to avoid upsetting any voters.
• During the negotiations, the company representative engaged in doubletalk, offering multiple explanations for the pricing change, but ultimately avoided making any concrete commitment to reducing costs or meeting the customer's demands. It seemed the intention was only to string the client along and buy time.
• The advertisement used clever doubletalk to suggest the product was superior without making any verifiable claims about its efficacy or ingredients. The vague wording and emotive language were designed to appeal to the consumer's desires and insecurities to convince them that the item was a good buy.
• After the scandal, the CEO's public statements were nothing but doubletalk, full of corporate jargon and apologies but lacking any real accountability. They sidestepped the serious issues and offered non-committal remarks, attempting to protect the company's image.
• In the courtroom, the lawyer's use of doubletalk was designed to confuse the witness, and obscure the facts to create a sense of doubt in the minds of the jury. They twisted their wording with obscure terminology with the intention of creating a legal loophole.