specious

/ˈspiːʃəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈspiːʃəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈspē-shəs/ (ame, mw)

specious — adjective

  • speciouspositive
  • more speciouscomparative
  • most specioussuperlative

1. appearing to be correct, well-founded, or logical, but actually being misleading

1.形容詞C1
釋義

appearing to be correct, well-founded, or logical, but actually being misleading or false — used especially of arguments, claims, or reasoning that sound convincing at first but cannot hold up to careful examination.

例句

The professor dismantled the student's specious argument in under two minutes.

specious + argument (core collocation)

The company's specious claims about its green practices were exposed by an independent investigation.

specious + claims (common collocation)

同義詞
  • fallacious

    more technical; emphasizes logical error rather than deceptive appearance

  • misleading

    broader and more common; can describe any kind of false impression

  • spurious

    emphasizes that something is not genuine or authentic

反義詞
  • sound

    a valid, well-founded argument

  • valid

    logically correct and based on facts

  • cogent

    clear, logical, and convincing in a positive sense

文法句型

specious + noun (argument/claim/reasoning)

linking verb + specious

用法筆記

Frequently used before nouns related to logic and persuasion — argument, claim, reasoning, logic, premise, excuse. The word implies that the deception is unintentionally misleading rather than an outright lie; the person offering the specious point may genuinely believe it sounds correct.

常見錯誤

❌The criminal told a specious lie.
✅The criminal offered a specious alibi.
💡'specious' describes something that appears reasonable on the surface, not a simple falsehood. Use it with reasoning or arguments, not with bare lies.

2. having an attractive or pleasing surface appearance that hides a lack of real qu

2.形容詞C1
釋義

having an attractive or pleasing surface appearance that hides a lack of real quality or substance — used of things that look good at first glance but disappoint upon closer inspection.

例句

The seaside villa's specious charm faded the moment we discovered the cracked foundation and leaking roof.

specious + charm (pattern: deceptive outward quality)

Sofia was not fooled by the candidate's specious friendliness during the campaign visit.

specious + abstract noun (friendliness, elegance, beauty)

同義詞
  • meretricious

    more literary; emphasizes gaudy, flashy attractiveness that is cheap or vulgar

  • deceptive

    more general; does not carry the 'attractive on the surface' nuance

  • pretentious

    suggests an exaggerated claim to importance or quality

反義詞
  • genuine

    truly attractive or valuable, not fake

  • authentic

    real and of a quality that matches its appearance

文法句型

specious + noun (charm/appearance/elegance/design)

linking verb + specious

用法筆記

This sense focuses on visual or aesthetic deception rather than logical deception (sense 1). Common with nouns describing appearance, style, or manner — charm, elegance, beauty, friendliness, design, architecture. Typically attributive (before the noun).