syllogism
noun
syl·lo·gism
| \ Ësi-lÉ-Ëji-zÉm
\
\
Definition of syllogism
1
: a deductive scheme of a formal argument consisting of a major and a minor premise and a conclusion (as in "every virtue is laudable; kindness is a virtue; therefore kindness is laudable")
2
: a subtle, specious, or crafty argument
3
: deductive reasoning
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Other Words from syllogism
syllogistic
\ Ësi-lÉ-Ëji-stik
\
adjective
\
adjective
syllogistically
\ Ësi-lÉ-Ëji-sti-k(É-)lÄ
\
adverb
\
adverb
Examples of syllogism in a Sentence
An example of a syllogism is: âAll men are human; all humans are mortal; therefore all men are mortal.â
Recent Examples on the Web
The syllogism runs something like this: Jews, regardless of their American citizenship, owe loyalty to Israel. — Los Angeles Times, "Trumpâs remarks about âdisloyalâ Jews highlight the tribalism of his politics," 23 Aug. 2019 For Whom the Bell Tolls illustrate this trite syllogism. — David Pryce-jones, National Review, "The Cold War of Words," 22 Aug. 2019 But the motion, that extraordinary charisma communicated not through image or syllogism but through rhythm alone, remains as permanent as a fingerprint. — Thomas Chatterton Williams, New York Times, "Adrian Piperâs Show at MoMA is the Largest Ever for a Living Artist. Why Hasnât She Seen It?," 27 June 2018 Shapiro tries to appeal to both the pro-Trump and the anti-Trump factions of the Republican base, spitting out indignant syllogisms in a rapid nasal delivery that sounds like a podcast played at double speed. — Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, "How Social-Media Trolls Turned U.C. Berkeley Into a Free-Speech Circus," 23 May 2016 The Holocaust was the result of a hideous syllogism: if Germany were to expand into the East, where millions of Jews lived, those Jews would have to vanish, because Germans could not coexist with them. — Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, "How American Racism Influenced Hitler," 23 Apr. 2018 That bassline -- quietly funky, resolving like a syllogism -- served as the bedrock for dozens of hip-hop, R&B, and pop tracks in the decades to follow, some of which have become just as iconic as their source. — Brad Shoup, Billboard, "A History of Dennis Edwards' 'Don't Look Any Further' Through the Countless Songs That Borrow From It," 8 Feb. 2018 Both arguments are specious, based on a clumsy syllogism. — Josephine Livingstone, New Republic, "Losing the Twentieth Century," 8 Feb. 2018 The syllogism is simple: Trump is a racist; only racists support a racist; Americans who support Trump are racists. — Ben Shapiro, National Review, "Whatâs the Point of Labeling Trump a Racist?," 17 Jan. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'syllogism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for syllogism
syllogism
noun
English Language Learners Definition of syllogism
formal
: a formal argument in logic that is formed by two statements and a conclusion which must be true if the two statements are true
See the full definition for syllogism in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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