mince words

VERB

equivocate

Synonyms

STRONG

cavil dodge elude escape eschew evade falsify fence fib flip-flop fudge hedge jive lie palter parry prevaricate pussyfoot quibble shuck shuffle sidestep stonewall tergiversate waffle

WEAK

beat around the bush beg the question blow hot and cold cloud the issue cop a plea cop out cover up double-talk give the runaround hem and haw pass the buck run around sit on the fence tell white lie tergiverse weasel

Antonyms

STRONG

be honest confront encounter face meet release take on tell the truth

WEAK

speak on

VERB

hem and haw

Synonyms

WEAK

back and fill beat around the bush beg the question dance around equivocate euphemize fudge and mudge hum and haw shilly-shally tapdance

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But when Rodrigo was asked to respond to the controversy on The New York Times’ Popcast, she didn’t mince words, pointing out that she’s worn more revealing outfits on stage with less pushback.

From Salon • Jun. 12, 2026

And when Pelley went after Bilton over his colleagues’ pink slips, he didn’t mince words: Weiss “is murdering 60 Minutes.”

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

Sulzberger didn’t mince words on the issue, calling what AI companies do “brazen theft” of new organizations’ intellectual property, in a speech earlier this week.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

He didn’t mince words or allow nuance or second thoughts to stand in the way of a zingy phrase or a colorful wisecrack.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Mandy wasn’t one to mince words, and she’d never called me that.

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

mince words

Example Sentences

Related Words