WordValespecious
seemingly reasonable but actually wrong
In more detail
1. (adjective) appearing to be true or reasonable but actually false or wrong
2. (adjective) designed to deceive or mislead
Examples
- 1. The argument sounds impressive but it is based on specious reasoning.
- 2. The company used specious advertising to trick consumers into buying their product.
How to use specious
Specious describes something that has the surface appearance of being true, reasonable, or convincing but is actually false or logically flawed. It often implies deliberate deception or intellectual dishonesty, distinguishing it from merely false or wrong statements. The word is common in formal, analytical contexts such as legal, academic, or philosophical discussions.
Common phrases
- specious argument
- specious reasoning
- specious claim
- sounds specious
- specious logic
Synonyms
misleading · deceptive · fallacious · plausible · sophistic
Opposites
genuine · authentic · valid
Word family
speciously (adverb) · speciousness (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse specious with special; note that specious means deceptively plausible, not unusual or particular.
Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.
Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD