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Ad hominem literally means “to the person” in New Latin (Latin as used since the end of the medieval period). In centuries past, the term was used in the phrase “argument ad hominem” (or argumentum ad hominem, to use the full New Latin phrase) to refer to a method of persuasion in which one introduces issues that relate personally to one’s opponent, such as the opponent’s habits, practices, or circumstances, instead of just sticking to principles or facts. What exactly came into play in such persuasions eventually expanded, and ad hominem came to describe an attack aimed at an opponent’s character rather than their ideas. The hostile nature of such attacks has led to an understanding of the term as meaning “against the person,” rather than its original Latin meaning of “to the person.”
Examples of ad hominem in a Sentence
Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025
Many stories — from, for example, small media sites — are replete with the obligatory (and stale) ad hominem attacks on Musk.
—Brooke Crothers, Forbes, 24 Nov. 2024
Then there’s ad hominem arguments and false accusation.
—Gary Marcus, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2024
Instead, he is being urged to focus on the issues that animate conservatives and calling attention to her liberal views rather than vitriolic personal attacks and other ad hominem tangents.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2024
Trump, who is not known for having a moderate temperament, could use the CIA to launch ad hominem operations.
—Christopher R. Moran, Foreign Affairs, 24 Apr. 2017
Joe Raedle | Getty Images Former President Donald Trump is facing a wave of calls from Republican supporters to focus his political attacks against Vice President Kamala Harris on policy critiques and to scale back his ad hominem insults and conspiracy theories.
—Rebecca Picciotto, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2024
The names on the ballot will be different, but this election, so far, is still about ad hominem attacks on character.
—Julie Garel, Baltimore Sun, 25 July 2024
Sean Louis Cumming, Springfield, Va. Push for a national unity ticket
This needs to stop: the extreme politics, the polarization, the ad hominem attacks, the political violence.
—Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 18 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ad hominem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ad%20hominem. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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