prevaricate

While Mr. Rees is keen to dispel the myths ginned up by imperial writers, he doesn’t prevaricate when the evidence shows that their fears may not have been entirely unfounded.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025

That suggests Sir Keir won't prevaricate in offering his own judgement about Sir Laurie Magnus's findings once he himself has them.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2025

So, why did the three college presidents prevaricate when asked how they would respond to such language?

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 14, 2023

You can equivocate, or dissemble, or palter, or mislead, or prevaricate, or fib, or perjure.

From Washington Post ● May 3, 2021

You have nothing to fear," said Taras; "we only want you to tell the truth; but woe to you if you prevaricate.

From For the Right by Karl Emil Franzos

Instead, he pivots and prevaricates, claiming that if ever did read “My New Order” it was because he admired the language and speeches.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2023

It leaves Wickremesinghe nominally in charge but on an acting basis, as Gotabaya prevaricates over formally rescinding his role.

From Reuters ● Jul. 13, 2022

"Oh, you can't sum up Tom Jones in four words, you just can't," he prevaricates.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2019

And in doing so, she congenitally lies and prevaricates — and gets caught in those lies and prevarications,” Mr. Klein says.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 21, 2015

She's muddled, she palpably prevaricates; so I can't positively, from her observation, give you an hour.

From Embarrassments by Henry James

“This is not about separating what we built together,” prevaricated Comcast co-CEO Brian Roberts, explaining a deal that’s all about separating what was previously put together.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

In the early stages of the conflict, the company prevaricated, choosing to remain in Russia while other international brands were leaving.

From BBC ● May 16, 2022

Churchill earned loathing in Wales for his actions as interior minister in 1910 when he first prevaricated but eventually sent troops in to support police trying to quell riots by striking miners in Tonypandy.

From Reuters ● Feb. 15, 2019

In one case in northern Germany, where the authorities prevaricated, local residents took matters into their own hands, broke into the church tower and removed the swastika with an angle grinder.

From New York Times ● Sep. 2, 2018

"I ain't got much of a load," he prevaricated, reaching towards the shoes and dropping one or two of the things he was carrying.

From Sube Cane by Edward Bellamy Partridge

After days of conflicting statements and prevaricating, he sent Leavitt out to offer a message that was sure to make everyone mad: He will decide in "two weeks."

From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2025

Following years of prevaricating, Germany pledged to quit nuclear power definitively after Japan's 2011 Fukushima disaster sent radiation spewing into the air and terrifying the world.

From Reuters ● Apr. 14, 2023

It made sense to him why defendants lied, he would say, but to find a cop prevaricating felt like a personal betrayal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2021

And the best thing to do when prevaricating fraudsters lie to you is not to doubt your sanity or to slide under the torpor of “who can know” hopelessness.

From Slate ● Mar. 31, 2021

It was owing to the abhorred fashion of the North-West Mounted Police, of confiscating drinks that were not mild, that Shuter was led to display this prevaricating sign.

From A Lover in Homespun And Other Stories by F. Clifford (Frank Clifford) Smith