Argumentation Strategies

noun the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself; prevarication

• The politician's equivocation on the issue only served to confuse the public further.
• Stop with the equivocation and just give a straight answer!
• Quit with the equivocation, just tell it like it is.
• Her equivocation was like trying to walk a tightrope without falling.

noun A person who is skilled in the art of rhetoric; an expert in public speaking or writing

• The renowned rhetorician delivered a compelling speech at the conference.
• I heard that the rhetorician is giving a talk at the event tonight.
• That rhetorician really knows how to spin a story to make it sound good.
• As a rhetorician of emotions, he knew exactly how to manipulate the crowd's feelings.

noun a form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions (premises); a common or useful form of reasoning

• A syllogism is a form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions (premises).
• I learned about syllogisms in my philosophy class - it's all about drawing conclusions from two premises.
• Syllogisms are like those logic puzzles where you have to figure out who ate what based on a few clues.
• In a way, life can be seen as a series of syllogisms where we make decisions based on our beliefs and experiences.

noun the practice of making apologies or expressing regret

• His constant apologism for the company's unethical practices was starting to wear thin with the board members.
• I'm getting tired of his apologism every time he messes up.
• Stop with the apologism, just admit you were wrong.
• Her apologism for his behavior was like trying to defend a sinking ship.

verb to argue against or refute a previous argument

• It is important to anticipate and counterargue potential objections in your research paper.
• When you're discussing politics with your friends, make sure to counterargue any points you disagree with.
• I always have to come up with a way to counterargue my sister's excuses.
• In a debate, it's like a game of chess - you have to strategically counterargue your opponent's moves.

noun a noun referring to the act of telling half-truths or partial truths

• The politician's speech was filled with half-truthery, attempting to deceive the public with misleading information.
• I can't trust anything he says, it's all just half-truthery to make himself look good.
• Don't fall for his half-truthery, he's just trying to cover up his mistakes.
• Her stories were always a mix of truth and lies, like a masterful tapestry of half-truthery.

noun a Latin phrase meaning 'to the point of absurdity', often used in logic and argumentation to demonstrate the absurdity of a certain claim or argument

• The philosopher argued his point ad absurdum, using logical reasoning to show the flaw in his opponent's argument.
• She took his joke ad absurdum, laughing until tears streamed down her face.
• The internet meme took the concept ad absurdum, turning a simple idea into a viral sensation.
• The artist pushed the boundaries of reality ad absurdum, creating a surreal masterpiece.

noun a person who brings forward or introduces something

• The adducer of evidence presented a compelling argument in court.
• The adducer of the new policy changes explained them in detail to the team.
• The adducer of the gossip spread the juicy news around the office.
• She was the adducer of positive energy, always lifting the spirits of those around her.

noun a Latin phrase that means 'to the person' and is used to describe an argument that attacks a person's character or traits instead of focusing on the issue at hand

• It is important to avoid making ad hominem attacks during a debate.
• Don't resort to ad hominem arguments when discussing politics with your friends.
• He always gets so defensive and starts with the ad hominem insults.
• Using ad hominem attacks is like fighting dirty in an argument.