YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

ambiguity

Noun

IPA /ˌæmbɪˈɡjuːəti/

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Meaning in plain English

A lack of clear meaning because words or a statement can be understood in more than one way.

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Pronunciation

ambiguity/ˌæmbɪˈɡjuːəti/

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I saw her duck
Her bird?
She lowered her head?

Ambiguity occurs when the same words allow more than one meaning.

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Examples in context

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The ambiguity in her message left us unsure about the meeting time.
Clear instructions reduce ambiguity and help students complete the task.

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The ________ in her message left us unsure about the meeting time.

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ambiguity — A lack of clear meaning because words or a statement can be understood in more than one way.

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A lack of clear meaning because words or a statement can be understood in more than one way.

Compare: The ambiguity in her message left us unsure about the meeting time.

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Word origin

From French or Latin, ultimately linked to Latin ambiguus, meaning doubtful.

Did you know?

An ambiguity is one unclear expression; ambiguity without an article describes the general problem.

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