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View synonyms for specious

specious

[ spee-shuhs ]

adjective

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

    specious arguments.

    Antonyms: genuine

  2. pleasing to the eye but deceptive.

    Synonyms: misleading, false

    Antonyms: genuine

  3. Obsolete. pleasing to the eye; fair.


specious

/ ˈspiːʃəs /

adjective

  1. apparently correct or true, but actually wrong or false
  2. deceptively attractive in appearance


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Derived Forms

  • ˈspeciously, adverb
  • ˈspeciousness, noun

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Other Words From

  • specious·ly adverb
  • specious·ness noun
  • non·specious adjective
  • non·specious·ly adverb
  • non·specious·ness noun
  • un·specious adjective
  • un·specious·ly adverb
  • un·specious·ness noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of specious1

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

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Word History and Origins

Origin of specious1

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

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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

That struck the ACLU—and the judge in the case, Alvin Hellerstein—as a specious argument.

So specious, in fact, that they are increasingly seen to be rationales to cover outdated forms of prejudice.

Set aside for a moment that that logic is specious in the first place.

In a TiVo age, who watches political ads anyway, no matter how specious or bombastic?

While the public gasped at this specious statement, the defense took over for cross examination.

It was notorious that she claimed the sovereignty of the isthmus on specious, nay, on solid, grounds.

These proverbs remind us of Bacon: "Specious words confound virtue."

Mr. Grote's speech on this occasion contained many specious arguments, and it appears to have had a great effect upon the house.

There is no cruelty which they do not practice upon each other under this specious pretext.

The mediocrities allow themselves to be dissuaded by the specious obstacles—the great ones never.

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speciosityspecious present