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captious

[ˈkæpʃəs]

captious Definition

  • 1tending to find fault or raise petty objections
  • 2calculated to confuse, entrap, or entangle in argument

Using captious: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "captious" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    He was known for his captious nature, always finding something to complain about.

  • Example

    Her captious questions were designed to trap the witness into admitting something he didn't mean to say.

  • Example

    The captious tone of his criticism made it difficult to take his feedback seriously.

captious Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for captious

Antonyms for captious

Phrases with captious

  • the use of arguments that are intended to deceive or confuse

    Example

    His captious reasoning was designed to lead the audience to a false conclusion.

  • an objection that is trivial or frivolous, raised for the purpose of being difficult or causing delay

    Example

    The judge dismissed the captious objection as irrelevant to the case.

  • criticism that is overly nitpicky or fault-finding, often without offering constructive feedback

    Example

    Her captious criticism of my work was demotivating and unhelpful.

Origins of captious

from Latin 'captiosus', meaning 'fallacious'

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Summary: captious in Brief

The term 'captious' [ˈkæpʃəs] describes someone or something that is overly critical and tends to find faults or raise petty objections. It can also refer to arguments that are intended to deceive or confuse. Examples include 'He was known for his captious nature' and 'Her captious questions were designed to trap the witness.' 'Captious' extends into phrases like 'captious reasoning,' denoting the use of deceptive arguments, and 'captious objection,' referring to a trivial objection raised for the purpose of being difficult.