Prevaricative refers to the act of being evasive or avoiding the truth, often through misrepresentation or ambiguous language. This term is frequently used in legal, political, and academic contexts to describe individuals or statements that obfuscate the truth or mislead others, often as a means of self-preservation or to avoid accountability.
Prevaricative meaning with examples
- The witness's prevaricative answers made it difficult for the jury to determine the facts. Instead of providing clear testimony, she dodged crucial questions about her whereabouts at the time of the incident, raising suspicions about her credibility and commitment to the truth, which ultimately affected the trial’s outcome significantly.
- In the __debate__, the politician resorted to prevaricative statements, sidestepping direct questions about his policy failures. His reluctance to confront the issues head-on frustrated voters, who were seeking honesty and clarity about his plans, leading to widespread criticism from his opponents and diminishing support from his base.
- The manager's prevaricative comments about the company's financial status left employees feeling anxious about their job security. Rather than addressing the underlying issues openly, he chose vague language, which only fueled rumors and uncertainty among the staff about potential layoffs and the company's future.
- During the interview, the candidate became increasingly prevaricative when questioned about his past employment. Instead of providing solid references, he spoke in generalities and avoided specifics, raising red flags for the hiring committee and suggesting potential issues with his previous work experience or background.
- Her prevaricative nature was evident when she discussed the project’s delays, as she consistently shifted blame to external factors. Rather than taking responsibility for her team’s shortcomings, she made ambiguous statements that left everyone confused, ultimately undermining the trust her colleagues had in her leadership abilities.