mixed message
nounUK /ˌmɪkst ˈmesɪdʒ/
US /ˌmɪkst ˈmesɪdʒ/
A mixed message is when someone says one thing but does another, so you are not sure what they mean.
She said she was happy for me, but her mixed message made me think she was actually upset.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A statement that contains two opposite ideas at the same time.
His speech was a mixed message: he praised the plan and then criticized it.
3. Words and actions that do not match, making the real meaning unclear.
The company sent a mixed message by promising change while keeping everything the same.
4. A confusing hint that can be understood in more than one way.
Her smile was a mixed message, so I could not tell if she was joking.