spurious

/ˈspjʊəriəs/ formal

Say it: SPYOOR-ee-us

1. adjective Not being what it purports to be; not genuine, authentic, or true.
The company had to retract its press release after the journalist exposed the spurious claims.
2. adjective Of a line of reasoning: apparently sound but not actually valid; based on false ideas or bad logic.
His entire argument was built on a spurious correlation between two unrelated events.
3. adjective (Biology) Superficially resembling a genuine structure but having a different origin or function.
Some insects have a spurious wing, which looks like a wing but is not used for flight.

📖 Seen in the wild

The committee quickly dismissed the spurious claims as lacking any credible evidence.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ spurious in a sentence

The study was dismissed by the scientific community for its spurious methodology and unreliable data.
He was arrested for selling spurious antiques to unsuspecting tourists.
During the debate, she skillfully dismantled her opponent's spurious reasoning point by point.
The system generated a spurious error message, causing unnecessary alarm among the users.
Be wary of online articles that make grand promises based on spurious evidence.
The politician's outrage was clearly spurious, designed only to win votes.
A good editor can spot a spurious statistic from a mile away.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

false bogus fake specious counterfeit sham phony fallacious

false · a general term for anything untrue; spurious specifically implies a deceptive or illegitimate appearance of truth.

bogus · an informal term for something counterfeit or fraudulent; spurious is more formal and applies to abstract concepts like arguments.

fake · often implies a deliberate physical imitation intended to deceive; spurious can also describe non-physical things like reasoning.

specious · describes an argument that is misleadingly attractive but logically flawed, whereas a spurious argument is based on false premises.

Opposites: genuine, authentic, legitimate, valid, bona fide

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'spurious' traces back to the Latin 'spurius', which meant 'illegitimate child'. This original sense of being born out of wedlock broadened over centuries to describe anything not of a proper or genuine origin. Today, its meaning has shifted almost entirely from parentage to authenticity in general.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

spurious claimspurious argumentspurious correlationspurious reasoningdeem something spuriousspurious data

'Spurious' is a strong, formal word used to discredit something by labeling it as fundamentally inauthentic or illegitimate. It's a step above simply 'incorrect' or 'wrong'. Be careful not to confuse it with 'specious': a spurious argument is based on a lie or false premise, while a specious argument uses clever but faulty logic to reach a misleading conclusion.

Word family: spuriously, spuriousness

💬 Quick answers

What does spurious mean?

Spurious means something is not genuine, authentic, or true, despite appearances. It is often used to describe false claims, invalid arguments, or things with an illegitimate origin.

What is the difference between 'spurious' and 'specious'?

A spurious argument is based on a false or illegitimate foundation. A specious argument uses a tricky but flawed line of reasoning, often to make a bad conclusion seem plausible. Think spurious = fake evidence, specious = faulty logic.

Is 'spurious' a formal word?

Yes, 'spurious' is considered a formal word. It is most appropriate for academic, legal, and professional contexts rather than casual conversation.

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