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
Most of these judges are issuing specious rulings that will be overturned by higher courts, but these judges are only the first stop in a judicial process that will ultimately lead to the Supreme Court.
—
Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 27 Mar. 2025
Kennedy’s skill at flooding his audiences with specious claims that sound logical or highbrow was on full display during his 2023 interview with the podcaster Joe Rogan.
—Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for specious
Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 27 Mar. 2025
Kennedy’s skill at flooding his audiences with specious claims that sound logical or highbrow was on full display during his 2023 interview with the podcaster Joe Rogan.
—Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for specious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specious
Adjective
-
Last year, the Biden administration's Transportation Department opened an inquiry ordering American, Delta Air Lines, Southwest and United to provide records and submit reports to ensure consumers do not face unfair, deceptive, or anticompetitive practices.—
David Shepardson,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
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The quest to build human-level AI agents using techniques known to produce deceptive tendencies, Bengio says, is comparable to a car speeding down a narrow mountain road, with steep cliffs on either side, and thick fog obscuring the path ahead.—
Harry Booth,
Time,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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The decision to deploy Dembele as a false nine for a 3-1 home win over Lyon in mid-December proved the spark for a stupendous run of goal-scoring form in which the France international racked up 27 goals in only 22 appearances.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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Their accountant filed two false corporate tax returns, claiming one of the couple’s firms earned no money in 2015 and 2016.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Specious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specious. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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