Synonyms of specious

specious

adjective

ˈspē-shəs 

as in misleading

tending or having power to deceive

a specious argument that really does not stand up under close examination

Synonyms & Similar Words

• misleading
• deceptive
• false
• fallacious
• incorrect
• delusive
• ambiguous
• deceitful
• beguiling
• deceiving
• inaccurate
• delusory
• fraudulent
• subtle
• deluding
• crooked
• cunning
• dishonest
• puzzling
• perplexing
• artful
• trick
• wily
• slick
• mendacious
• wrong
• artificial
• subtile
• treacherous
• lying
• crafty
• shady
• tricky
• duplicitous
• confounding
• underhanded
• shifty
• sneaky
• sly
• spurious
• devious
• distracting
• bogus
• counterfeit
• untrustworthy
• insidious
• untruthful
• foxy
• forged
• underhand
• faithless
• fake
• hypocritical
• perfidious
• guileful
• bewildering
• evasive
• phony
• trickish
• sham
• equivocal
• feigned
• insincere
• ambidextrous
• knavish
• circuitous
• dissembling
• jive
• fast
• backhanded
• sneaking
• defrauding
• double-dealing
• two-faced
• left-handed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straightforward
• forthright
• plain
• direct
• open
• candid
• outspoken
• frank
• aboveboard
• nondeceptive
• explanatory
• straight
• illuminating
• revealing
• openhearted
• clarifying
• plainspoken
• truthful
• revelatory
• free-spoken
• honest
• trustworthy
• elucidative
• foursquare

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of specious

His lawyer, John Carman, said federal prosecutors dressed up a mundane paperwork case with specious suggestions that Lu was involved in spying and intelligence gathering. — ABC News, 13 May 2026

The majority, rather than being rattled by a president who had attempted a coup, labored to protect the country from the hypothetical danger of a presidency rendered impotent by specious criminal prosecutions. — Gregg Nunziata, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026

In its opinion, the district court admonished Aston for unhelpful responses, specious arguments, and sloppy portrayals of the statements alleged to be responsive. — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2026

There have been all sorts of concerns for a while, including shenanigans around using metrics from SaaS to apply to AI-native companies (that logic is specious at best). — Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026

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