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Glite Dictionary
🗣️ Evasive speech 🔄 Switching sides
tergiversation

tergiversation

9.9
Abandoning a group or cause for personal gain
  • noun
  • /ˌtɜr.dʒɪ.vɚˈseɪ.ʃən/
  • Formal
translation icon : deserción
  • The senator's tergiversation during the vote was condemned by his former allies.

Examples

  • Her reputation suffered after her sudden tergiversation in support of the opposition.

  • The politician's tergiversation led to a loss of trust.

  • Political history is replete with examples of tergiversation in times of upheaval.

  • His constant tergiversation frustrated the committee.

  • Many voters felt betrayed by the politician's tergiversation on critical issues.

  • Her tergiversation left her colleagues questioning her commitment to the project.

  • The activist's tergiversation during the debate angered her supporters.

Synonyms

defection
vstergiversation
28 7.9

Leaving a country, group, or cause to join an opposing one

is done to benefit oneself rather than to join an opponent
desertion
vstergiversation
20 6.2

Leaving someone, a place, or a duty when you should stay to help

is motivated by self interest rather than failure to meet duty
abandonment
vstergiversation
18 4.9

Stopping support or care for someone who depends on you

is more about betraying a cause for personal gain rather than simply leaving support
apostasy
vstergiversation
  • Formal
12 9.9

A decision to stop believing in a religion or a cause you once followed

is broader and often self serving rather than only a loss of faith
traitorism
vstergiversation
9.9

The act of betraying your country or people by helping their enemies

is about self serving abandonment of party or principles rather than general betrayal

Antonyms

commitment
829 3.3

A promise to support a person, cause, or plan

loyalty
503 1.3

Strong and lasting support for a person, group, or idea

How Disloyal

defection
28 7.9
desertion
20 6.2
betrayal
197 3.9
tergiversation
  • Formal
9.9
wavering
5.3
loyalty
503 1.3

Surface Forms

tergiversation singular
tergiversations plural

Morphology

tergiversation = tergiversate (opaque) = tergivers + ation

Nominalized from the rare verb 'tergiversate', so learners cannot easily predict the political/abandonment sense from the parts alone.

Etymology

Tergiversation also comes from Latin parts tergi- ('back') and vers- ('turn'). It gives the picture of 'turning your back' on a group, so tergiversation can mean leaving your party or principles, often for your own gain.