misleading argument

[/mɪsˈliːdɪŋ ˈɑːrɡjumənt/]
nounpl: misleading arguments
argumento enganoso
1. an argument that presents false, incomplete, or distorted information in a way that deceives the listener or reader into accepting a conclusion that may not be logically sound or factually accurate
The politician used a misleading argument by claiming that all immigrants commit crimes without providing any statistical evidence.
O político usou um argumento enganoso ao afirmar que todos os imigrantes cometem crimes sem fornecer nenhuma evidência estatística.
2. a logical fallacy or rhetorical technique designed to confuse or misdirect an audience from the actual issue being debated
His misleading argument attacked his opponent's character instead of addressing the actual policy differences.
Seu argumento enganoso atacou o caráter do oponente em vez de abordar as diferenças políticas reais.
In both Brazilian and American contexts, identifying and calling out misleading arguments is central to critical thinking and democratic discourse. In Brazil, debate culture values rhetorical skill, and recognizing 'argumentos enganosos' is important in academic, political, and media literacy discussions. In the USA, this concept is heavily emphasized in education, law, and public discourse, with a strong tradition of Socratic questioning to expose logical fallacies.
NYC Slang
a BS argument / a load of nonsense / talking out of your hat
Synonyms / Sinônimos
fallacious argumentdeceptive argumentsophistryfalse argumentspecious argumentmisleading claim
Antonyms / Antônimos
sound argumentvalid argumenthonest argumenttruthful argumentlogical argument

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
argumento enganoso
most common and neutral term used in academic and general contexts
General Brazilian
argumento falacioso
more technical term preferred in logic and philosophy discussions
Rio de Janeiro
argumento furado
colloquial expression meaning a weak or flawed argument
São Paulo
argumento tendencioso
emphasizes bias and manipulation in the argument
Portugal
argumento enganador
Portuguese variant of the Brazilian term, equally valid

Related Words

logical fallacyad hominemstraw manred herringequivocationbegging the questionfalse premiserhetorical device

Related Idioms & Phrases

pull the wool over someone's eyes
a smokescreen
beating around the bush
giving someone a runaround
jogar conversa fora (to talk around the issue)
puxar a brasa para a sua sardinha (to twist facts for one's benefit)
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