false dichotomy
Americannoun
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.
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
In a false dichotomy, someone incorrectly asserts that you have only one of two options.
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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
