English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
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noun

fallacy

FAL-uh-see
noun
1
A mistaken belief, especially one based on flawed reasoning.
"It's a common fallacy that money alone brings happiness."
2
An argument that seems logical but is actually flawed or misleading.
"His argument relied on a classic fallacy: attacking the person instead of the point."

How to Use Fallacy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA false idea or a piece of reasoning that looks convincing but doesn't actually hold up.

Common pairings
common fallacy logical fallacy fall for a fallacy

Word Forms

fallacies plural

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It's a common _____ that money alone brings happiness.

Etymology

From Latin fallacia ("deception"), from fallere ("to deceive").

Rhymes for fallacy

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial