words or claims that turn out to be empty upon analysis are known as “weasel words”.
The use of weasel words to avoid making an outright assertion is a synonym to tergiversate.
[2] Weasel words can imply meaning far beyond the claim actually being made.
[3] Some weasel words may also have the effect of softening the force of a potentially loaded or otherwise controversial statement through some form of understatement, for example using detensifiers such as “somewhat” or “in most respects”.
