fallacy

noun

ˈfa-lə-sē How to pronounce fallacy (audio)
Definition of fallacynext
1
as in delusion
a false idea or belief the once-common fallacy that girls just weren't any good at math

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deception
the quality or state of being false the fallacy of the notion of spontaneous generation was demonstrated by the Dutch naturalist Leeuwenhoek

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fallacy But some surgeons call this a fallacy. — Jolene Edgar, Allure, 14 May 2026 The sunk cost fallacy is the silent killer of rational decision-making. — Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026 Like being able to recognize logical fallacies and how to have media literacy. — Phillip Sitter, Des Moines Register, 7 May 2026 For example, the false dilemma logical fallacy has become a very popular way to persuade people to incorrectly believe there are only two options. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for fallacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fallacy
  1. delusion
  2. deception
  3. myth
  4. deceptiveness
  5. error
  6. falseness
  7. illusion
  8. falsehood
Noun
  • But a line like that also fleshes out the head-in-the-stratosphere delusions of everyone here.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The company has also been sued by the parents of kids who took their own lives, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged suicide and harmful delusions.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of delusion
Noun
  • Hosted by Alan Cumming, the social deduction game follows a group of contestants (who are sometimes celebrities) engaging in a Mafia or Werewolf-style game of deception.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • With shifting alliances and deception, only the most calculating player will survive to win it all, per the logline.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of deception
Noun
  • Yaga reimagines the myth of Baba Yaga, set in a coastal town.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Dante populated his realms of Hell and Purgatory with figures, monsters and moral frameworks borrowed directly from classical Greek and Roman myths.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of myth
Noun
  • Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.
    — Sue Brightman, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of deceptiveness
Noun
  • Another factor is the effect of radiation on the chips powering the data centers which can cause errors.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • That's out of nearly 190,000 reports made about the drug over that period, most of which included minor gastrointestinal issues, dosing errors or injection site redness.
    — Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of error
Noun
  • The falseness of the medium, though, jibed with the falseness of most attempts, throughout American history, to make sense of this enormous, strange man.
    — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Definition of falseness
Noun
  • Pokémon cards, a pricey Ferrari shirt and a touristy museum of illusions.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Rubin, who is also a children's book author and magician, has spent years working in the world of illusion and performance.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of illusion
Noun
  • But in a world filled with falsehoods and other noise, clear communication goes a long way.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But the tragedy conceals something nobody knows, and the falsehoods about Jung-hyun keep growing.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of falsehood

Browse Nearby Words

fallaciousness
fallacy
fal-lal
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Cite this Entry

“Fallacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fallacy. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fallacy

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