so-called
Americanadjective
-
called or designated thus.
the so-called Southern bloc.
-
incorrectly called or styled thus.
so-called intellectuals.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of so-called
First recorded in 1650–60
Explanation
When you say someone is a so-called pacifist, you are suggesting that they are a pacifist in name only. While they are busy making everyone talk about how peaceful they are, chances are they're also bombing villages to dust. Using the word so-called is a great way to point out systemic hypocrisy and is a much-beloved tool of street preachers and conspiracy cranks the world over. They might talk about our so-called democracy being in fact a sham, and our so-called democratic elections being rigged by forces beyond our control.
Vocabulary lists containing so-called
Booked
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The Losers Club
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We Are Displaced
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nebius soared afted the so-called neocloud reports better-than-expected second-quarter results, while fellow neocloud company CoreWeave posted a narrower quarterly loss, sending the stock up sharply.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Among the most popular versions are so-called buffer funds, which explicitly limit downside for investors while also capping gains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Paramount offered to pay Warner investors $31 a share as well as so-called “ticking fees” of 25 cents per share for every quarter after Sept. 30 until the transaction closes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
A separate group of tasks mapped the so-called "multiple demand network" -- a distributed brain system that supports complex problem-solving.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
Of these it is especially the so-called Aurignacians and Magdalenians who stand out for the gifted artists they produced and for the important role art must have played in their lives.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
