There’s nothing more frustrating than someone who refuses to answer questions honestly and directly.
So, if you’re wondering what to call a person who beats around the bush, you’ve come to the right place!
Below, we’ve compiled a list of great words and phrases for someone who avoids answering questions. So, read on!
Words for Someone Who Avoids Answering Questions
- Prevaricator
- Equivocator
- Evasive
- Circumventor
- Deflecting
- Dodging the question
- Circumlocution
- Tergiversate
- Sidestepping
- Cagey
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A “prevaricator” is someone who finds ways to sidestep the truth when they are asked a question.
- An “equivocator” uses vague and confusing language to indirectly answer a question.
- A person who tries to evade answering a question can be called “evasive.”
Keep reading to see how we use our top three terms for someone who avoids answering questions in some useful examples.
Prevaricator
When someone doesn’t give you a straight answer to a very clear question, you can call them a “prevaricator.”
The Cambridge Dictionary defines “prevaricate” as “to avoid telling the truth or saying exactly what you think.”
Therefore, people will often “prevaricate” if they know that their honest answer to a question will be controversial.
The word “prevaricate” comes from the Latin word “praevāricārī” meaning “to walk crookedly” or “to play a false or double part.”
Essentially, a “prevaricator” will try to give unclear and non-committal answers to any probing questions that could land them in hot water.
To see what we mean, consider the example sentences below:
The mayor is a notorious prevaricator, and you’ll be hard-pressed to get any information from him that isn’t shrouded in vagueness and nonsensical political jargon.
Despite being known amongst young men for his intellect, Tate turned out to be quite the prevaricator when asked to expand on some of his more troubling statements.
Equivocator
The Cambridge Dictionary defines “equivocate” as “to speak in a way that is intentionally not clear and confusing to other people, especially to hide the truth.”
Therefore, an “equivocator” indirectly answers questions but does so in a very vague manner.
Generally, they are trying to create doubt. Moreover, they will choose their words carefully to ensure that there are multiple ways to interpret what they’ve said.
Once again, people will usually equivocate if you ask them a question they don’t wish to answer honestly. Namely, for fear of repercussions. They may also equivocate if you make a request that they don’t want to carry out.
Let’s see an example making use of this phrase:
Person 1: Leonard, you said you’d try to eat more vegetables as the doctor suggested.
Person 2: Yes, and a potato is a vegetable, so these fries count.
Person 1: Always an equivocator.
Destiny called her manager a self-righteous equivocator, and I have never respected her more.
Evasive
You can call someone who doesn’t answer your questions at all “evasive.” In fact, this is a great adjective for someone who weasels their way out of a response.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines “evasive” as “answering questions in a way that is not direct or clear, especially because you do not want to give an honest answer.” In short, it means to evade an answer.
Interestingly, the Cambridge Dictionary also defines “evasive” as “done to avoid something bad happening.” For example, a driver might make an “evasive maneuver” to avoid a crash.
By implication, a person might act “evasive” in the face of difficult questions because they fear that something bad will happen if they answer honestly.
See the example sentences below:
The Minister was as evasive as always, but we managed to get some insight from his secretary.
She gave a very evasive answer, and I got the distinct feeling that she wasn’t alone in the house.