Fallacious
hardNegative tonefuh-LAY-shus
adjective
Definition
Based on a mistaken belief or unsound argument
Memory hook
FALL-ACIOUS: your argument FALLS apart because it's based on a FALLACY — logically flawed.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The court rejected the fallacious reasoning in the defense's argument.”
“Popular but fallacious beliefs about nutrition persist despite evidence.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The court rejected the ______ reasoning in the defense's argument.”
Show answer
fallacious
Categories
GRE Tip
Fallacious is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "specious" or "erroneous" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "sound".
Related GRE Words
specious
Superficially plausible but actually wrong; misleading
disingenuous
Not candid or sincere; pretending to know less than one does
spurious
Not genuine; false or fake
cogent
Clear, logical, and convincing
obviate
to prevent or make unnecessary
tangential
only slightly relevant; diverging from the main point
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