SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
specious
adjective
Appearing convincing or correct while actually being misleading or unsound.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Plausible but unsound
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSpecious combines an initially convincing appearance with actual weakness or falsity. False alone does not capture the persuasive appearance.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See specious in use
The specious argument treated two unrelated events as proof of a cause.
A student committee proposed moving its exhibition to a smaller room on the premise that less wall space would reduce preparation time. The rationale sounded practical, since the volunteers had only one afternoon to install the work. However, a claim that a smaller room must always be easier to prepare was specious: it ignored the possibility that the available space would require additional stands and a new arrangement.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license