WordValestrawman
a misrepresented version of an argument, set up to be easily defeated
In more detail
1. (noun) a weak or false argument that is easy to defeat, created deliberately to make one's own position seem stronger
2. (noun) a person who is used as a front to hide the real person in control of something
Examples
- 1. His claim that I wanted to ban all cars was a strawman—I only said we should reduce emissions.
- 2. The company used a strawman owner to hide who really controlled the business.
How to use strawman
Strawman refers to a deliberately weakened or misrepresented version of someone's argument, set up to be easily defeated in order to make the speaker's own position appear stronger. It is commonly used in criticism of debate tactics and rhetoric. In the second sense, it describes someone used as a facade to conceal true ownership or control, though this is less frequently used in modern English.
Common phrases
- strawman argument
- create a strawman
- attack a strawman
- knock down a strawman
- pure strawman
Synonyms
straw argument · weak argument · false dilemma · red herring
Word family
strawman (noun) · strawman (adjective)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes misspell it as 'straw-man' or 'straw man' (two words), though 'strawman' as one word is now standard in contemporary usage, particularly in online discourse.
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