What makes a word ambiguous?

The lexical ambiguity of a word or phrase pertains to its having more than one meaning in the language to which the word belongs. “Meaning” here refers to whatever should be captured by a good dictionary. The context in which an ambiguous word is used often makes it evident which of the meanings is intended.

What are examples of ambiguous?

Common Examples of Ambiguity

  • The bark was painful. (Could mean a tree’s bark was rough or a dog’s bark communicated pain or hurt the listener’s ears).
  • You should bring wine or beer and dessert. (Could mean that you must bring just wine, wine and dessert, or beer and dessert).
  • Harry isn’t coming to the party.

What’s another word for straight out?

Find another word for straight-out. In this page you can discover 19 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for straight-out, like: ingenuous, candid, direct, downright, forthright, frank, honest, man-to-man, open, plainspoken and straight.

What is the synonyms of ambiguous?

Some common synonyms of ambiguous are cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, obscure, and vague. While all these words mean “not clearly understandable,” ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation.

Can a person be ambiguous?

Ambiguous, on the other hand, isn’t a word used to describe people—though it is used to describe things people do or say. It’s used in cases where the meaning of something is not clear, often because it can be understood in more than one way: Ambiguous has been with us since the early 16th century.

What is ambiguity explain with examples?

Ambiguity is when the meaning of a word, phrase, or sentence is uncertain. There could be more than one meaning. Examples of Ambiguity: Sarah gave a bath to her dog wearing a pink t-shirt.

What does straightened out mean?

1 : to make (something) straight or to become straight You need to straighten out your legs for this stretch. The river curves and then straightens out again. 2 : to make (something) organized or tidy : to put (something) in order He took time to straighten out the papers on his desk.

What is the synonym of straight?

honest, direct, frank, candid, truthful, sincere, forthright, straightforward, plain-spoken, plain-speaking, plain, blunt, downright, outspoken, straight from the shoulder, no-nonsense, unequivocal, unambiguous, unqualified, unvarnished.

Does ambiguous mean confusing?

If you describe something as ambiguous, you mean that it is unclear or confusing because it can be understood in more than one way.

Do people like ambiguity?

Sometimes, people enjoy a little ambiguity because it feels like you’re solving a puzzle. Other times, they find it annoying and want you to just “come out with it.” In speech and writing, however, ambiguity can be a useful tool.

Which is the best definition of the word ambiguous?

enigmatic occult writings cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning. cryptic hints of hidden treasure ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation. an ambiguous directive equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading.

Which is the best definition of flat out?

1 : being or going at maximum effort or speed 2 : out-and-out, downright it was a flat-out lie

Which is an example of a flat out lie?

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ‘flat-out.’ Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback . 1 : out-right entry 2 sense 1 That’s a flat-out lie. — Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Shiloh

Who is the person that can flat out make people miss?

— Erik Kain, Forbes, 28 Apr. 2021 Stevenson has rare movement skills for a 246-pound back and can flat out make people miss. — Jonas Shaffer, baltimoresun.com, 29 Apr. 2021