evasive
adj.trying to avoid giving a direct answer or a clear explanation. You use this when someone is being secretive or not telling the whole truth.
adj.tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly. Often describes verbal communication or physical movement intended to escape capture or contact.
“The politician gave an evasive answer to the reporter.”
“When I asked about the missing money, he became evasive and quickly changed the subject.”
“The witness was criticized for her evasive testimony, as she repeatedly claimed to have forgotten key details that were clearly documented in her own emails.”
Often follows linking verbs like 'be', 'become', or 'remain'.
When specifying the topic being avoided, use the preposition 'about' rather than 'from'.
From French évasif, from Latin ēvādō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.