fallacious
Americanadjective
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containing a fallacy; logically unsound.
fallacious arguments.
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deceptive; misleading.
fallacious testimony.
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disappointing; delusive.
a fallacious peace.
adjective
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containing or involving a fallacy; illogical; erroneous
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tending to mislead
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delusive or disappointing
a fallacious hope
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fallacious
First recorded in 1500–10, fallacious is from the Latin word fallāciōsus deceitful, deceptive. See fallacy, -ous
Explanation
Something fallacious is a mistake that comes from too little information or unsound sources. Predictions that the whole state of California will snap off from the rest of North America and float away have proven to be fallacious — for now, anyway. Fallacious comes ultimately from the Latin fallax, "deceptive." The word fallacious might describe an intentional deception or a false conclusion coming from bad science or incomplete understanding. A tween's assumption that anyone over 20 can't understand her situation would be fallacious; we have all been young once too.
Vocabulary lists containing fallacious
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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"Common Sense," Vocabulary from the pamphlet
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"'Blaxicans' and Other Reinvented Americans," Vocabulary from the argument
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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.
Fallacious hopes of coming “posts,” averted for a time my coming wretchedness—three weeks, and not a line!
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, October 2, 1841 by Various
Fallacious proofs of this proposition have been published by many writers, including myself, but up to the present no valid proof has been discovered.
From Our Knowledge of the External World as a Field for Scientific Method in Philosophy by Russell, Bertrand
Fallacious sign of hope! for, close behind, Dark shades of coming woe were seen combined.
From The Sonnets, Triumphs, and Other Poems of Petrarch by Campbell, Thomas
Fallacious reasoning to ease the mind for a coward's act, say you?
From The Romance and Tragedy by Russell, William Ingraham
Fallacious hypotheses A scientific mental method is more sanitary than the use of drugs, and such a mental method produces perma- 79:9 nent health.
From Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures by Eddy, Mary Baker
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.
