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Ad hominem literally means “to the person” in New Latin (Latin as used since the end of the medieval period). In centuries past, the term was used in the phrase “argument ad hominem” (or argumentum ad hominem, to use the full New Latin phrase) to refer to a method of persuasion in which one introduces issues that relate personally to one’s opponent, such as the opponent’s habits, practices, or circumstances, instead of just sticking to principles or facts. What exactly came into play in such persuasions eventually expanded, and ad hominem came to describe an attack aimed at an opponent’s character rather than their ideas. The hostile nature of such attacks has led to an understanding of the term as meaning “against the person,” rather than its original Latin meaning of “to the person.”
Examples of ad hominem in a Sentence
Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2024
Trump, who is not known for having a moderate temperament, could use the CIA to launch ad hominem operations.
—Christopher R. Moran, Foreign Affairs, 24 Apr. 2017
Joe Raedle | Getty Images Former President Donald Trump is facing a wave of calls from Republican supporters to focus his political attacks against Vice President Kamala Harris on policy critiques and to scale back his ad hominem insults and conspiracy theories.
—Rebecca Picciotto, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2024
The names on the ballot will be different, but this election, so far, is still about ad hominem attacks on character.
—Julie Garel, Baltimore Sun, 25 July 2024
Sean Louis Cumming, Springfield, Va. Push for a national unity ticket
This needs to stop: the extreme politics, the polarization, the ad hominem attacks, the political violence.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 18 July 2024
When Bates exposed the defection, Scott evaded the charge by an ad hominem attack on his former comrade in arms.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 18 July 2024
This sentence -- which dismisses concern about Nazism and makes an ad hominem attack on an accomplished public intellectual -- reflects badly on Lynch and this magazine.
—Paul Berman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2010
Viewpoints that are hated by some or a majority should be addressed on their merits, rather than their speakers murdered by ad hominem attacks.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 3 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ad hominem.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ad hominem
Cite this Entry
“Ad hominem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ad%20hominem. Accessed 21 Sep. 2024.
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