prevaricate

UK: /prɪˈværɪkeɪt/ US: /prɪˈværɪˌkeɪt/ ,(pri var′i kāt′)

Inflections of 'prevaricate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

prevaricates

v 3rd person singular

prevaricating

v pres p

prevaricated

v past

prevaricated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

pre•var•i•cate /prɪˈværɪˌkeɪt/   v. [no object] , -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. to speak falsely; deliberately misstate;
   lie.

pre•var•i•ca•tion /prɪˌværɪˈkeɪʃən/  n. 

[uncountable] a master of prevarication.

[countable] spreading prevarications about his opponent.

pre•var•i•ca•tor, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pre•var•i•cate  (pri var′i kāt′), v.i., -cat•ed, -cat•ing. 

1. to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression;
   lie.

• Latin praevāricātus, past participle of praevāricārī to straddle something, (of an advocate) collude with an opponent's advocate, equivalent. to prae- pre- + vāricāre to straddle, derivative of vārus bent outwards, bow-legged
• 1575–85

pre•var′i•ca′tion, n. 
pre•var′i•ca′tive, pre•var•i•ca•to•ry  (pri var′i kə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē), adj.  Synonyms

evade, shift.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

prevaricate / prɪˈværɪˌkeɪt/ verb

1. (intransitive) to speak or act falsely or evasively with intent to deceive

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin praevāricārī to walk crookedly, from prae beyond + vāricare to straddle the legs; compare Latin vārus bent

preˌvariˈcation noun

preˈvariˌcator noun