What does "prevarication" mean?
Evasion of the truth.
Prevarication
/pɹɪˌvæɹ.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Evasion of the truth.
- Grammar: prevarication is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: equivocation, lie, bickering, blague.
- Useful contrasts: candor, clarity, directness.
- Usage evidence: Prevarication became the order of the day in his government while truth was a stranger in those halls.
How to use "prevarication"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "prevarication" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "prevarication" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "prevarication" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "prevarication" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "prevarication" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "equivocation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "prevarication", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Evasion of the truth. countable, uncountable
"Prevarication became the order of the day in his government while truth was a stranger in those halls."
- 2 the deliberate act of deviating from the truth wordnet
- 3 Deviation from what is right or correct. archaic, countable, uncountable
- 4 intentionally vague or ambiguous wordnet
- 5 A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office. countable, uncountable
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth wordnet
- 7 The collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution. Ancient-Rome, countable, historical, uncountable
- 8 A false or deceitful seeming to undertake a thing for the purpose of defeating or destroying it. countable, uncountable
"If it shall appeare, that they haue forfeited their Faith, or wronged their Client by preuarication."
Antonyms
Example
"Prevarication became the order of the day in his government while truth was a stranger in those halls."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "prevarication"?
Common synonyms include: equivocation, lie, bickering, blague, boggling, bouncer.
How do you use "prevarication" in a sentence?
Prevarication became the order of the day in his government while truth was a stranger in those halls.
How do you pronounce "prevarication"?
Pronounced /pɹɪˌvæɹ.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin praevāricātiō (“collusion with an opponent; duplicity, deceit; violation of duty, transgression”, literally “stepping out of line”), from praevāricor (“to walk crookedly; go astray; transgress”) + -tās. The virtually obsolete sense of deviation or transgression may have been influenced by an earlier stage of borrowing via Middle English prevaricacioun, prevaricacion (“deviation from the law; transgression”) from Anglo-Norman prevaricaciun (“transgression, violation of correct conduct”).