as in ambiguity
reasoning or arguments that sound correct but are actually false
She said that many of the points made during the debate were pure sophistry.
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Recent Examples of sophistry
Fascism creates a world of artifice and sophistry.
—
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
All of whom flock to Monsignor Wicks, drawn by his sophistry and fearsome bully-pulpit magnetism.
—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
Most contemporary observers would have regarded this as misguided sophistry.
—
Fara Dabhoiwala,
Harpers Magazine,
4 June 2025
And if Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta try to point it out before Manchester City faces Arsenal on Sunday, it will be viewed as gamesmanship, or deflection, or unapologetic sophistry.
—
Rory Smith,
New York Times,
29 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sophistry
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
All of whom flock to Monsignor Wicks, drawn by his sophistry and fearsome bully-pulpit magnetism.
—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
Most contemporary observers would have regarded this as misguided sophistry.
—
Fara Dabhoiwala,
Harpers Magazine,
4 June 2025
And if Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta try to point it out before Manchester City faces Arsenal on Sunday, it will be viewed as gamesmanship, or deflection, or unapologetic sophistry.
—
Rory Smith,
New York Times,
29 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sophistry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sophistry
Noun
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Leadership teams that are ready for change treat ambiguity as part of the job.
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The report released last year from the Office of Performance Evaluations found the money’s use wasn’t addressed in state law, which led to inconsistencies and ambiguity on what it can be used for.
Noun
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Guo was convicted of nine of 12 criminal charges during a seven-week trial that prosecutors said showcased his deception of thousands of investors in bogus deals that enabled Guo’s lavish lifestyle.
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By the time the deception was uncovered, the employee had authorized $25 million in transfers.
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.
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Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.
Noun
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Weir takes readers on an adventure through this science-fiction survival story about a junior high science teacher who wakes up aboard a spaceship with amnesia.
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Crisis and renewal are strictly a matter of marketing now, a fiction that permanently assigns the Democrats the role of technocrats managing national decline while Republicans get to stand for muscular optimism and economic expansion.
Cite this Entry
“Sophistry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sophistry. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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