syllogism

Definition of syllogismnext
as in logic
formal a formal argument that is formed by two statements and a conclusion which must be true if the two statements are true An example of a syllogism is: "All men are human; all humans are mortal; therefore all men are mortal."

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 syllogism And Lincoln has a famous syllogism where, If the Black man can be enslaved because his skin is darker than yours, then you can be enslaved by anyone whose skin is fairer than yours. David Frum, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026 This syllogism is embraced by many Democrats, who are determined to recapture an industrial working-class base, and many Republicans, who use it as evidence that the government has sold out American workers in the heartland. Adam S. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 20 Apr. 2021 Twitter users often accept a flawed syllogism by using a conclusion as one of the premises – namely, that the platform spreads truthful information. Aaron Duncan, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2020 Chairman Xi will undoubtedly want to prevent this syllogism from presenting itself to the minds of Chinese Christians. Cameron Hilditch, National Review, 1 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for syllogism
Noun
  • This phenomenon highlights that AI responses can be sensitive to framing, requiring users to remain vigilant as AI explanations of its internal logic may be unreliable.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Peter Thiel represents the sharpest challenge to Carnegie’s logic since the labor unions who fought Carnegie’s library grants in the 1890s, but with a crucial difference.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • Perhaps the Codex Micro’s most interesting feature is a rotary dial that lets the user adjust the agent’s reasoning level depending on the difficulty of the task.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 July 2026
  • Another study published in medRxiv put OpenEvidence to the test using the MedXpertQA dataset, which consists of complex, subspecialty board-style scenarios designed to challenge medical reasoning.
    Garth Friesen, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Noun
  • By 2036, our synthesis of data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Upwork, and MBO Partners projections suggests nearly half of American workers will do some form of freelance or independent work while traditional full-time employment shrinks.
    Laurel Donnellan, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • This amino acid is particularly important for protein synthesis, muscle growth, and post-workout muscle recovery.
    Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 23 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Syllogism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/syllogism. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on syllogism

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster