sophistry

noun

soph·​ist·​ry ˈsä-fə-strē 

plural sophistries

1

: subtly deceptive reasoning or argumentation

2

: sophism sense 1

Did you know?

Sophistry Has Roots in Greek Philosophy

The original Sophists were ancient Greek teachers of rhetoric and philosophy prominent in the 5th century B.C. In their heyday, these philosophers were considered adroit in their reasoning, but later philosophers (particularly Plato) described them as sham philosophers, out for money and willing to say anything to win an argument. Thus sophist (which comes from Greek sophistēs, meaning "wise man" or "expert") earned a negative connotation as "a captious or fallacious reasoner." Sophistry is reasoning that seems plausible on a superficial level but is actually unsound, or reasoning that is used to deceive.

Examples of sophistry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 2022 vaccine mandate decision, another 6-3 masterpiece, turned on sophistry that workplace rules only covered hazards found solely in the workplace (but somehow excluding, say, forced air-breathing with infected employees), and ignored the deeper reality that vaccines save lives. —The Editors, Scientific American, 10 July 2024

Today, no amount of sophistry can sustain that claim. —Andrew J. Bacevich, Foreign Affairs, 28 Feb. 2023

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

Amid the verbal sophistry of recent months, it’s become increasingly clear that actions speak far louder. —Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 23 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

sophistry

noun

soph·​ist·​ry ˈsäf-ə-strē 

: reasoning or arguments typical of a sophist