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false dichotomy

American

[fawls dahy-kot-uh-mee] / ˈfɔls daɪˈkɒt ə mi /

noun

a logical fallacy in which a spectrum of possible options is misrepresented as an either-or choice between two mutually exclusive things.

Etymology

Origin of false dichotomy

First recorded in 1870–75

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.

See Examples For:

false dichotomy

This is a false dichotomy, which Katie Miller knows all too well.

From Salon ● Apr. 13, 2026

Lucy Dacus, “Forever Is a Feeling” Sensual or cerebral is a false dichotomy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025

"Delhi's incredibly rich past has contributed to its evolution as a unique city. To pitch it against progress or development is a false dichotomy," says historian Sohail Hashmi.

From BBC ● Feb. 8, 2024

But this is a dangerous, false dichotomy that must be rejected.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2023

The video cuts to explain that Anakin has just used a false dichotomy.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 13, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023