1. ambiguity of speech or writing arising from uncertain grammatical construction or word order, rather than from ambiguous word meanings
Usage: formal; rhetoric and grammar

Examples

• The sentence 'I saw the man with the telescope' contains an amphiboly because it is unclear whether the man or the speaker has the telescope.
• The phrase 'visiting relatives can be boring' demonstrates amphiboly—it could mean that relatives who visit are boring, or that the act of visiting relatives is boring.
• Amphiboly often occurs when modifiers are placed ambiguously in a sentence.
• The advertisement 'We sell children's clothes for less' contains an amphiboly that could be misinterpreted.
• Writers should avoid amphiboly by carefully arranging words to make the intended meaning clear.