false equivalence

[ fawls i-kwiv-uh-luhns ]

noun

1. a logical fallacy in which one assumes or asserts that two things are the same or equal when, while alike in some ways, they are not sufficiently similar to be considered equivalent.

Word History and Origins

Origin of false equivalence¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

And no one is better equipped to refute this false equivalence than Mack herself.

From The Daily Beast

We ought to reject any false equivalence between the Obama and the Romney campaigns.

From The Daily Beast