📓 High School Level

specious

[ spee-shuhs ]

/ ˈspi ʃəs /

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See synonyms for: specious / speciously / speciousness on Thesaurus.com

📓 High School Level

adjective

apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible: specious arguments.

pleasing to the eye but deceptive.

Obsolete. pleasing to the eye; fair.

OTHER WORDS FOR specious

2 false, misleading.

See synonyms for specious on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR specious

1, 2 genuine.

See antonyms for specious on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of specious

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin speciōsus “fair, good-looking, beautiful,” equivalent to speci(ēs) (see species) + -ōsus adjective suffix; see -ous

synonym study for specious

1. See plausible.

OTHER WORDS FROM specious

spe·cious·ly, adverbspe·cious·ness, nounnon·spe·cious, adjectivenon·spe·cious·ly, adverb

non·spe·cious·ness, nounun·spe·cious, adjectiveun·spe·cious·ly, adverbun·spe·cious·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH specious

species, specious

Words nearby specious

specific volume, specify, specimen, specimen plant, speciosity, specious, specious present, speck, speckle, speckled trout, speckled wood

How to use specious in a sentence

The performance-enhancing benefits of marijuana are, if not specious, at least very much up for debate.
Sha'Carri Richardson's Suspension for Marijuana Defies Common Sense|Sean Gregory|July 2, 2021|Time
Ads promoting fraudulent sanitizers and specious coronavirus remedies or linking to fly-by-night websites selling overpriced masks still clog up the digital ad supply chain, companies that monitor advertising creative for programmatic ad firms say.
COVID-19 scam ads decline, but AI systems risk catching legitimate vaccine messages in their traps|Kate Kaye|May 10, 2021|Digiday
That struck the ACLU—and the judge in the case, Alvin Hellerstein—as a specious argument.
The Detainee Abuse Photos Obama Didn’t Want You To See|Noah Shachtman, Tim Mak|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So specious, in fact, that they are increasingly seen to be rationales to cover outdated forms of prejudice.
Catholic University’s Harvey Milk Ban Reflects A Church In Transition|Jay Michaelson|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Set aside for a moment that that logic is specious in the first place.
The Gender-Pay Gap: It’s Real, and Yes, It’s Sexism|Monica Potts|September 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In a TiVo age, who watches political ads anyway, no matter how specious or bombastic?
Is Big Money Politics an Overblown Evil?|David Freedlander|August 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While the public gasped at this specious statement, the defense took over for cross examination.
Portrait of the Consummate Con Man|John Lardner|May 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was notorious that she claimed the sovereignty of the isthmus on specious, nay, on solid, grounds.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.|Thomas Babington Macaulay
These proverbs remind us of Bacon: "Specious words confound virtue."
Beacon Lights of History, Volume I|John Lord
Mr. Grote's speech on this occasion contained many specious arguments, and it appears to have had a great effect upon the house.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan
There is no cruelty which they do not practice upon each other under this specious pretext.
Superstition In All Ages (1732)|Jean Meslier
The mediocrities allow themselves to be dissuaded by the specious obstacles—the great ones never.
Toilers of the Sea|Victor Hugo

British Dictionary definitions for specious

📓 High School Level

specious

/ (ˈspiːʃəs) /

adjective

apparently correct or true, but actually wrong or false

deceptively attractive in appearance

Derived forms of specious

speciously, adverbspeciousness, noun

Word Origin for specious

C14 (originally: fair): from Latin speciōsus plausible, from speciēs outward appearance, from specere to look at

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

specious

OTHER WORDS FOR specious

OPPOSITES FOR specious

Origin of specious

synonym study for specious

OTHER WORDS FROM specious

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH specious

Words nearby specious

Words related to specious

How to use specious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for specious

Derived forms of specious

Word Origin for specious