so-called

American  

[soh-kawld] / ˈsoʊˈkɔld /

adjective

1. called or designated thus.

   the so-called Southern bloc.

2. incorrectly called or styled thus.

   so-called intellectuals.

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so-called British  

adjective

1. 1. (prenominal) designated or styled by the name or word mentioned, esp (in the speaker's opinion) incorrectly

      a so-called genius

   2. ( also used parenthetically after a noun )

      these experts, so-called, are no help

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Etymology

Origin of so-called

First recorded in 1650–60

Explanation

When you say someone is a so-called pacifist, you are suggesting that they are a pacifist in name only. While they are busy making everyone talk about how peaceful they are, chances are they're also bombing villages to dust. Using the word so-called is a great way to point out systemic hypocrisy and is a much-beloved tool of street preachers and conspiracy cranks the world over. They might talk about our so-called democracy being in fact a sham, and our so-called democratic elections being rigged by forces beyond our control.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

so-called

Researchers had previously observed this so-called "turnover" state only in vanadium and iron-only nitrogenases.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

The market might also get a break from another corner: reduced issuance of bonds by so-called hyperscaler AI companies such as Alphabet, Amazon.com, Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Oracle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

The sisters of the man suspected of being the so-called "Putney pusher" have told the BBC their brother was innocent, and the police showed "no urgency" to clear his name.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

Stocks are so-called “real” assets, so a decline in the currency may be offset by a rise in the price.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

"So much for my so-called immortality," I said.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Related Words

• alleged
• formal
• purported
• self-styled