What's the difference between ambiguous and contradictory?

Ambiguous


Definition:

  • (a.) Doubtful or uncertain, particularly in respect to signification; capable of being understood in either of two or more possible senses; equivocal; as, an ambiguous course; an ambiguous expression.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Along the spectrum of loyalties lie multiple loyalties and ambiguous loyalties, and the latter, if unresolved, create moral ambiguities.
  • (2) This examination has proved an important help in the diagnosis of all the cases of sexual ambiguity.
  • (3) Exogenous activators of PKC stimulate insulin secretion from B cells, but attempts to define a physiological role for PKC by using inhibitors of this enzyme have produced ambiguous results.
  • (4) The aza analogue (RS)-3-hydroxy-2,5-pyrrolidinedione-3-acetic acid (6) of the five-membered citric anhydride (2) was prepared in the sequence citric acid----2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-one-5,5-diacetic acid (1)----citric acid beta-amide (3)----6 and used to resolve ambiguities in the mechanism of the citrate synthase reaction.
  • (5) Results obtained with this analog can be ambiguous, since 2-DOG can be phosphorylated by hexokinases of animal cells.
  • (6) Ultrasound has also proven useful in evaluating patients with ambiguous genitalia, amenorrhea and suspected PID and also is an effective means of localizing intrauterine contraceptive devices.
  • (7) Authors have previously published April 1988 a lecture where they criticize the bad denomination "passed coma" full of ambiguity for public mind, to which "brain death" ought to be preferred.
  • (8) There were, though, large omissions and ambiguities that will need to be filled in and clarified as polling day nears.
  • (9) "Prostatic acid phosphatase" is a term that has been used widely and ambiguously to refer to acid phosphatase, which 1) is elevated in the sera of patients with various diseases of the prostate, 2) is inhibited by one or more specific inhibitors, 3) attacks one or more specific substrates, 4) has certain unique antigenic properties, 5) is extracted from homogenates of prostate, and 6) is obtained from prostate secretions, etc.
  • (10) We have Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris coming to those platforms this December, and Tomb Raider: The Definitive Edition is available on PS4.” However, there is still some slight ambiguity about whether the deal is for Winter 2015 only.
  • (11) This ambiguity was resolved by using resealed ghosts, which are unable to incorporate oleic acid into phospholipids.
  • (12) This report describes a minicomputer-based translation system (TRANSOFT) that employs word order rearrangement followed by word-for-word translation and resolution of ambiguities based on context.
  • (13) Authors report a ring chromosome 18 (18 r) in a four year old boy, with low birth weight, retarded growth and development, microcephaly and plagiocephaly, horizontal nystagmus, ambiguous genitalia, clinodactyly of the fifth finger, distal axial triradius, whorls pattern in 8 fingers in dermatoglyphic.
  • (14) Membrane potential trajectories of 68 bulbar respiratory neurones from the peri-solitary and peri-ambigual areas of the brain-stem were recorded in anaesthetized cats to explore the synaptic influences of post-inspiratory neurones upon the medullary inspiratory network.
  • (15) As well, two-dimensional 15N-1H heteronuclear spectroscopy was used to resolve a number of ambiguities present in the homonuclear spectra due to resonance redundancies.
  • (16) The axon of the labeled bulbospinal neuron had axonal collaterals which were distributed within the region of the nucleus ambiguous of the ipsilateral medulla.
  • (17) Of the 406 tests there have been 85 positive, 296 negative and 25 ambiguous reports.
  • (18) In a second experiment schizophrenics were significantly different from the depressives in showing less inclination to select a metaphorical meaning to an ambiguous adjective in a sentence.
  • (19) Three-quarters of the sample was impaired on at least one of four discourse tests (knowing the alternate meanings of ambiguous words in context; getting the point of figurative or metaphoric expressions; bridging the inferential gaps between events in stereotyped social situations; and producing speech acts that express the apparent intentions of others).
  • (20) Yet, the apparent ambiguities of science confuse the courts, the juries, and the public.

Contradictory


Definition:

  • (a.) Affirming the contrary; implying a denial of what has been asserted; also, mutually contradicting; inconsistent.
  • (a.) Opposing or opposed; repugnant.
  • (n.) A proposition or thing which denies or opposes another; contrariety.
  • (n.) propositions with the same terms, but opposed to each other both in quality and quantity.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The relationships between the menopause and risk factors for ischaemic heart disease are complex, which may be one reason for the contradictory results when relating menopausal age to the incidence of ischaemic heart disease.
  • (2) (1) EXCP appears to be a more serious finding only in those higher risk individuals with either a positive EXECG or lower MAXRPP; (2) EXCP and its interactions may help discriminate between anginal and nonanginal, exertional chest pain, and (3) the contradictory results found when EXCP was allowed to interact may explain conflicting results in previous multivariate models regarding the predictive significance of EXCP.
  • (3) We suggest a model for transcription that involves the participation of a nucleoskeleton at the active site and reconcile the contradictory results obtained using different salt concentrations.
  • (4) A few days on, we still don't know much , and the evidence against Lewthwaite is scant and contradictory.
  • (5) The literature on the possible risk of myasthenia gravis complicating pregnancy and delivery is sparse and partly contradictory but some of the reports on the number of perinatal and neonatal deaths are alarming.
  • (6) This seemed contradictory for a government keen on getting people out of their cars, and given that at the time the Treasury finances were relatively healthy.
  • (7) A former ministerial colleague of Iain Duncan Smith once put it to me that he was a striking example of cognitive dissonance: that is, of holding two or more contradictory beliefs in his head at any given moment.
  • (8) The often changing and contradictory assessments made of the situation in different countries and at different times are outlined, and the difficulty of making a balanced and just evaluation of long established drugs is shown, particularly if the available data are derived primarily from spontaneous reports which, besides being almost impossible to verify, are often incomplete.
  • (9) Up to now there are contradictory findings as to the presence of an endogenous opioid antagonist.
  • (10) This finding is contradictory to the generally held view that antagonist-induced opioid receptor up-regulation in brain increases asymptotically, leveling off after a relatively brief treatment period.
  • (11) However, the literature provides little information on this and is contradictory.
  • (12) Contradictory data have recently been published from two different laboratories on the presence vs absence of an intrinsic endonucliolytic activity of E. coli exonuclease III at apurinic sites in double-stranded DNA.
  • (13) The test is commonly used as a preoperative screen to predict hemorrhage, but the data supporting this indication are contradictory at best.
  • (14) In view of the contradictory results reported in the literature regarding induction of specific immunologic tolerance to mechlorethamine hydrochloride (HN2), the problem was reinvestigated using a "tolerogenic" schedule that had been reported to be effective.
  • (15) By compromising these contradictory requirements, small dialkylamino (including cyclic amino) groups were decided to be the most favorable substituents.
  • (16) Evidence is presented to demonstrate that two different "melanotic" genes were being considered, thus explaining the apparently contradictory reports.
  • (17) In type 2 diabetics contradictory results have been obtained, probably related to varying degrees of body overweight in the patients investigated.
  • (18) This appears to be contradictory to the current view that a decrease in serum PRL levels with a concurrent increase in the intracellular PRL levels caused by bromocriptine treatment results from the inhibition of exocytosis of secretory granules.
  • (19) The literature is contradictory regarding the effect of static magnetic fields on the function of the central nervous system of mammals.
  • (20) The evidence for the involvement of Ca2+ in dPRL release is based on contradictory or unclear data.