A word for when one neither confirms nor deny something?

No contest?

NCND is the acronym for that.

Pyrrhonian skepticism?

In a court of law, as @FutureMemory translates, it is a plea of Nolo contendere. which is a third alternative to “guilty” or “not guilty.”

There is also “circumlocutory,” which means to talk around a subject at great length and with far too many words to be clear.

Have you tried using Word’s thesaurus? That baby got me through some of my finest university assignments

It’s not a legal term. Yes, I tried the thesaurus for synonyms, but since I couldn’t think of that exact term, approximate terms didn’t bring up that word.

I know of no single word for that. This is why many people involved in things that they cannot discuss answer with terse “No comment” or “I can neither confirm nor deny your story / allegations / assumptions / comments, and I have nothing further to add.”

I could have sworn I submitted a comment but it seems to have disappeared. It’s definitely an adjective you’re looking for? The only words I can think of are verbs, like equivocate or prevaricate.

ambiguous? noncommittal? demurring?

Sham deaf?

irresolute

Noncommittal is the one I would have said, too, @kevbo.

Obfuscate?

Oh, but in the context of the first sentence in your details, I call that Spin.

@Trillian, until now I had no idea that that word even existed let alone what it meant. But i must say it is a great one. Now to find a legitimate sentance in which to use it to annoy my friends :)

@saraaaaaa I think it fits the definition you gave.

So in the context of the entire OP, with regard to “and gets us wrapped up in his wording”, I’d have to combine the adjectives with the verb…

What you describe is an event of vainglorious irresolute spin. Not sure if there is one English word that encompasses the entire notion. Seems like there should be.

I think most would use malarkey, gibberish or drivel to describe this.

Ah… maybe spellbind, or mesmerize.

Probably “equivocal.”

oblique

I saw this word on a specific spiritual message board, and it’s lost in my memory since..

Context:

So there’s this spiritually attained man who implies that he’s at a certain phase, yet he doesn’t admit it outright. And both facts are true; he might be that very thing, but it’s circumstantial and language is inadequate to describe that kind of process. Now, he’s addressing a topic in his interview, and somebody who’s annoyed doesn’t think his response really hits the question, yet it kind of does, in a clever way. So he’s being ____________.

enigmatic
elusive
evasive
paradoxical
mysterious

Schrödinger.

inscrutable
cryptic
obscure

????

Guilty.

Isn’t the word for that ” LAWYER” ???

@Seaminglysew: or Cheater.

Yes, Cheater!

Prevaricate! definition

trillian has it

ah… but the OP was looking for an adjective, not a verb.

@Seaminglysew I’ll take lawyer for tonight!!! Thanks everybody. Hopefully one day that word will return to me. I’m sure it’s simpler than it looks.

Oh sorry @Trillian, I just saw that @lillycoyote said “prevaricate” first way up there on her first answer. You’ll have to share the crown with her…

50/50 crown custody. She gets Christmas and Easter on odd number years and you get it on even number years… K?

Meh… that’s what I get for not paying closer attention. I don’t mind sharing unless it’s a husband.

How about, Non-denial denial.

How about a Fifth Pleader?

@Trillian don’t worry. I have no trouble sharing either. And, FYI, I don’t have a husband and anyone who would actually have me at this point? Well, you’re more than welcome to him, but I don’t ship, you’ll have to come and pick him up if you want him. :-)

@lillycoyote How lovely of you. If I respectfully decline would that be ok? I’ve only been alone for about a year now, and I’m not ready for that particular complication just yet. I just meant that at some point I’d like one of those creatures and I’d prefer to have him all to myself. But not right now. Hell, just thinking about it puts me in ‘panic mode’. Maybe I’ll show up at your house one Saturday morning for coffee. That’s about the extent of my social interactions at this point.
Maybe we can get an online scrabble game set up or something…. ;-)

Sissy?

Pussy?

Oh, and welcome to Fluther – best first Q by a newb I’ve seen in a while. Now please, don’t ask anymore homework questions, or why your boyfriend is ignoring you. Thanks.

~ <<< That’s a tilde – means it was sarcastic. I don’t use them except to illustrate to newbies. You have to read between my lines. PM me for more useless info.

@Trillian It’s, of course, an absolutely no obligation offer. I don’t even sell my mailing lists. If you’re not interested, this will be the end of it.

@Trillian and @lillycoyote I want in on the scrabble game.

If I don’t want to confirm or deny, I say maybe!!!

(Chalk up another sexist remark for @zen_ )

“I have no comment at this time.”

vacillatory