Spurious
hardSPYOOR-ee-us
adjective
Definition
Not genuine; false or fake
Examples
“The spurious claims were quickly debunked.”
“Researchers dismissed the spurious data.”
Categories
GRE Tip
Spurious is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "counterfeit" or "bogus" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "authentic".
Related GRE Words
bogus
Not genuine or true; fake
counterfeit
Made in imitation with intent to deceive; forged; fake
ersatz
Made or used as an inferior substitute for something genuine
fraudulent
Obtained, done by, or involving deception; dishonest
disingenuous
Not candid or sincere; pretending to know less than one does
fallacious
Based on a mistaken belief or unsound argument
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