specious

adjective

ˈspē-shəs How to pronounce specious (audio)
Definition of speciousnext
as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive a specious argument that really does not stand up under close examination

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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 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 See All Example Sentences for specious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specious
  1. misleading
  2. deceptive
  3. false
Adjective
  • Also, when implementing AI, organizations can run into issues with the data environment around the AI model that have nothing to do with the model itself, such as when metadata can be incomplete and field names are misleading.
    — Saurabh Gupta, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • The next day, Blazers president Dewayne Hankins deferred questions through team spokesperson Charles Boyle, who said the city’s depiction of the Blazers is misleading.
    — Jason Quick, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of misleading
Adjective
  • At 6ft 3in (190cm) with unconventional movement mechanics, he is likened to Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike for his deceptive play.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Distinguished by unique morphological features like a longer tail and specific tooth structure, alongside genetic evidence, the stingray's identification underscores the complexity of taxonomy where appearances can be deceptive.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of deceptive
Adjective
  • Earlier in July, a senior security source in Tehran told CNN that the claims of nuclear activities taking place at Pickaxe Mountain were false.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Two Charlotte brokers are facing accusations of filing false life insurance applications for profit, according to North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey.
    — Mark Price July 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2026
Definition of false

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specious
speciousness
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Cite this Entry

“Specious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specious. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of specious for Spanish Speakers

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