Specious (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Based on pretense; deceptively pleasing; "the gilded and perfumed but inwardly rotten nobility"; "meretricious praise"; "a meretricious argument".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- Her specious claim of being an expert in the field was quickly debunked by her peers when they discovered her lack of credentials.
- The shiny new SUV seemed appealing at first glance, but its specious charm soon wore off as the owner began to experience one mechanical problem after another.
- The politician's specious promises of change and reform won over many voters, but ultimately proved to be empty and meaningless.
- The specious arguments presented by the defense team were designed to sway the jury with emotional appeals rather than factual evidence.
- Despite the specious words of praise from his colleagues, the artist knew that his latest sculpture was not his best work.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Plausible but false; "a specious claim"; "spurious inferences".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The politician's specious claim that the new tax would benefit low-income families convinced many voters, but ultimately proved to be an empty promise.
- The detective was wary of making specious connections between seemingly unrelated pieces of evidence in the complex murder case.
- The company's specious arguments against the proposed environmental regulations were debunked by numerous scientific studies.
- The philosopher argued that many people fall victim to specious reasoning and are swayed by emotional appeals rather than logical arguments.
- The specious inferences drawn by the amateur sleuths led to a multitude of red herrings and wild goose chases throughout the investigation.