specious

CEFRC1

/ˈspiːʃəs/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Seeming true or reasonable but actually false.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Employing fallacious but deceptively plausible arguments; deceitful.

Examples

  • The politician made a specious argument that misled the voters.

  • Tom's arguments are entirely specious.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
3

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Having an attractive appearance intended to generate a favorable response; deceptively attractive.

  2. Seemingly well-reasoned, plausible or true, but actually fallacious.

  3. Beautiful, pleasing to look at.

More examples

In context

  • This idea that we must see through what we have started is specious, however good it may sound.

  • I have frequently amused myself both in public and private companies, with silently remarking, the specious errors of those who speak without reflecting.

  • now to the discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence, but that, for the most part, either specious rather than solid, or to his cause nothing pertinent.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The blank argument seemed very reasonable but was actually flawed and misleading.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English speciose, specious, from Anglo-Norman specious, Middle French specieux, and their etymon Latin speciōsus (“good-looking”).