Skip to main content
Dictionary
Store
Blog
World
Help
Advertise
Chat
System Status
Information Collection Notice
Trademark Concerns
reCAPTCHA Privacy
Terms of Service
reCAPTCHA Terms
Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Report a Bug
Data Request
Contact Us
Security
DMCA
© 1999–2026 Urban Dictionary ®
Mugs
Tees
Hoodies
Pro Customization
Create unique products with your own words and definitions
Preview
Personalize Your Design
Your Word
Your Definition
The practice of labeling an opponent’s argument as fallacious without demonstrating that a fallacy actually occurred. Instead of engaging with the substance, the accuser simply names a fallacy (e.g., “straw man,” “ad hominem”) and treats that label as a complete refutation. Fallacy imputation is often a form of the fallacy fallacy itself—assuming that if a fallacy can be named, the argument is automatically invalid, regardless of whether the name fits. It is a rhetorical shortcut used to avoid the work of genuine critique.
Text fits
Save
Cancel