syllogism

noun

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
  1. logic
  2. reasoning
  3. synthesis
Noun
  • The former president, who successfully pushed to end the requirement in 2020, said the racial and class equity logic that drove that decision deserves a second look.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • American adults’ ability to answer logic questions, reason effectively, and analyze patterns declined from 2006 to 2018.
    — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Definition of logic
Noun
  • The reasoning behind this movement is that America was founded on Christian principles, and, according to some, ought to adopt Christianity as its official religion.
    — Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • The court's reasoning lands on the same point the fund rule misses.
    — Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of reasoning
Noun
  • A student who learns to navigate ambiguity, make sense of evidence, and strengthen their capacity for synthesis is better prepared not only for a career, but for the demands of citizenship.
    — Tim Knowles, Fortune, 8 July 2026
  • And from faculty lounges today comes a gigantic rejection of the Humphrey-to-Obama synthesis.
    — David Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Definition of synthesis

Browse Nearby Words

sylleptic
syllogism
syllogistic
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Syllogism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/syllogism. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on syllogism

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about syllogism

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All