Noncommittal vs Ambiguous - What's the difference?
noncommittal | ambiguous | Synonyms |
Tending to avoid commitment; lacking certainty or decisiveness; reluctant to give out information or show one's feelings or opinion.
*1818 , S.R. Wells, The American Phrenonological Journal, and other miscellany , v. 10,
*:[He] is candid, open-hearted, and hardly non-commmittal enough for his own interest at times.
Open to multiple interpretations.
Vague and unclear.
(obsolete, of persons) Hesitant; uncertain; not taking sides.
* 1662 (Thomas Salusbury)
Noncommittal is a synonym of ambiguous.
As adjectives the difference between noncommittal and ambiguous
is that noncommittal is tending to avoid commitment; lacking certainty or decisiveness; reluctant to give out information or show one's feelings or opinion while ambiguous is open to multiple interpretations.noncommittal
English
Alternative forms
* non-commital * noncommital * non-committalAdjective
(en adjective)- The Major's face was noncommittal .
- The noncommittal Indians would give no counsel as to fording.
p. 234:
Derived terms
*noncommittallyReferences
ambiguous
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- The politician was criticized for his ambiguous statements and lack of precision.
- He gave an ambiguous answer.
- And forasmuch as in this same question I am ambiguous , and Simplicius is resolute....