so-called
Americanadjective
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called or designated thus.
the so-called Southern bloc.
-
incorrectly called or styled thus.
so-called intellectuals.
adjective
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.
Vocabulary lists containing so-called
Booked
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The Losers Club
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We Are Displaced
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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.
Last year, the agency allowed Boeing to resume issuing some so-called airworthiness certificates for the jets.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026
A large proportion of the savings will also fall on the government's so-called multidisciplinary research facilities used by researchers across the UK to answer basic scientific questions.
From BBC • Jul. 9, 2026
Several years ago, he railed against so-called “junk fees” on bills, suing dozens of San Francisco businesses in 2024 over hidden surcharges.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
When converted to purchasing-power, constant-dollar or so-called real returns, that $10,000 has grown to $32,200, according to Portfolio Visualizer.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
This summer she made a big deal of taking me shopping at Walgreens because Roli made repeated complaints about my so-called bromhidrosis.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
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.
