casuistry

American  

[kazh-oo-uh-stree] / ˈkæʒ u ə stri /

noun

plural

casuistries

1. specious, deceptive, or oversubtle reasoning, especially in questions of morality; fallacious or dishonest application of general principles; sophistry.

2. the application of general ethical principles to particular cases of conscience or conduct.

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casuistry British  

/ ˈkæzjʊɪstrɪ /

noun

1. philosophy the resolution of particular moral dilemmas, esp those arising from conflicting general moral rules, by careful distinction of the cases to which these rules apply

2. reasoning that is specious, misleading, or oversubtle

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Etymology

Origin of casuistry

First recorded in 1715–25; casuist + -ry

Explanation

Casuistry is argumentation that is suspect and sneaky. Politicians, lawyers, and car salesmen who make dubious arguments full of holes are guilty of casuistry. Save this word for when you want to put down somebody else's line of reasoning: it refers to subtle but specious argumentation. It was formed from casuist (along the lines of sophistry and foolery), which can mean one who engages in such reasoning, though it originally meant someone who resolves doubtful cases by the application of principles. Casuistry is used to bamboozle people, so steer clear of those who practice it!

Example Sentences

This casuistry didn’t save him from a painful trial before a “denazification” court after the war.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

His decision for the court, handed down on Wednesday, is an incoherent mess of contradiction and casuistry, a travesty of legal writing that injects immense, gratuitous confusion into the law of equal protection.

From Slate • Jun. 18, 2025

Hill's casuistry is all too common in memoirs written by or for statesmen seeking to sanitize their own blunders and lies.

From Salon • May 8, 2021

With his casuistry, Whitman seems intent on convincing himself, more than anyone, that this health regimen will work.

From The New Yorker • Mar. 21, 2017

This faded mythology and formalised worship, these speculative attempts and casuistry of law, are accompanied by a completely-arranged scheme of certain abstract categories already established.

From The History of Antiquity Vol. V. by Duncker, Max