an instance of the use of ambiguous, prevaricating, or irrelevant language or arguments to evade a point at issue.

the general use of such arguments.

petty or carping criticism; a minor objection.

to equivocate.

to carp; cavil.

noun

agreement , approval , concurrence

verb

agree , approve , concur

noun

artifice , cavil , criticism , dodge , duplicity , equivocation , evasion , hair-splitter , nicety , niggle * , nit-picker , pretense , prevarication , protest , quiddity , quirk , shift , sophism , subterfuge , subtlety , chicanery , scrupulosity , sophistry , speciosity

verb

altercate , argue over , argufy , avoid , bicker , blow hot and cold * , carp , catch at straws , cavil , chicane , criticize , dispute , equivocate , evade , fence * , flip-flop * , hassle , have at it , hem and haw * , hypercriticize , make a big thing about , nit-pick , paralogize , pettifog , pretend , prevaricate , put up an argument , set to , shift , spar , split hairs * , squabble , talk back , waffle , wrangle , niggle , nitpick , contend , fight , quarrel , spat , tiff , argue , complaint , criticism , dodge , equivocation , haggle , objection , palter , split hairs , trifle