What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
specious
Example
The politician's specious arguments failed to convince the audience. [specious: adjective]
Example
The company's specious claims about their product's effectiveness were exposed by independent testing. [specious: adjective]
spurious
Example
The art collector discovered that the painting he bought was spurious. [spurious: adjective]
Example
The scientist dismissed the spurious claims made by the conspiracy theorist. [spurious: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Spurious is more commonly used than specious in everyday language. Spurious is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while specious is less common and refers to a specific type of deception.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between specious and spurious?
Both specious and spurious are formal words that are typically used in academic or professional contexts. However, spurious is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
