as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive
a specious argument that really does not stand up under close examination
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Recent Examples of specious
The specious comparison of women’s beach volleyball to football is not how a proper Title IX analysis works.
—
Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 17 Jan. 2025
But Kirkwood and director Sarah Benson leave no room for such a specious critique.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 June 2024
These days, those sorts of proclamations tend to feel more specious than ever.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Media lawyers now fear that Trump will ramp up the deployment of subpoenas, specious lawsuits, court orders, and search warrants to seize reporters’ notes, devices, and source materials.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for specious
Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 17 Jan. 2025
But Kirkwood and director Sarah Benson leave no room for such a specious critique.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 June 2024
These days, those sorts of proclamations tend to feel more specious than ever.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Media lawyers now fear that Trump will ramp up the deployment of subpoenas, specious lawsuits, court orders, and search warrants to seize reporters’ notes, devices, and source materials.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for specious
Cite this Entry
“Specious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specious. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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