prevarication

Definitions

The act of speaking or acting in an evasive way to avoid the truth.

A statement that deviates from or perverts the truth; a lie or equivocation.

Examples

The politician's constant prevarication during the interview frustrated the journalists who were seeking a direct answer.

After hours of prevarication, the witness finally admitted that he had been at the scene of the crime.

His habitual prevarication made it difficult for his colleagues to trust the information he provided in reports.

Synonyms

equivocation deception evasion fibbing mendacity dishonesty falsification

Antonyms

truthfulness honesty candor frankness sincerity veracity directness