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

So called up I presume Albert Einstein, and said, hi, I'm, I'm putting together this book of essays.

From Scientific American • Aug. 24, 2023

So called risk weights determine how much capital a bank needs to cover the risk associated with an asset.

From Reuters • May 15, 2023

So called "returnerships" and skills boot camps were mentioned alongside abolishing the lifetime tax-free limit for pensions savings.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2023

So called establishment science operates under a process known as peer review in which other anonymous scholars critique their ideas.

From Salon • May 8, 2022

So called from the signature at the bottom.

From Stand By! Naval Sketches and Stories by Dorling, H. Taprell (Henry Taprell)

Related Words

• alleged
• formal
• purported
• self-styled