MEANING
1. A flaw in reasoning that undermines an argument's support for its conclusion.
2. A widely accepted but mistaken belief.
Use it for
evaluating arguments; misleading appeals; separating conclusion from justificationExplain the faulty step rather than merely labeling the argument.
Words that belong together
- logical fallacy
- commit a fallacy
- expose a fallacy
On the page
The argument commits a fallacy by treating correlation as proof of cause.
It is a fallacy to assume that every unpaid activity lacks economic value.
Pointing out one fallacy does not settle every issue raised in the debate.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- fallacy
Usage notes
Primary category: academic. A false conclusion need not arise from a fallacy, and identifying a fallacy does not by itself show that the conclusion is false. Name the reasoning error. Singular: fallacy; plural: fallacies. Derived family (not inflections): fallacious.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.