eristic
1
9.9
- adjective
- /ɪˈrɪstɪk/
- Formal
:
erístico
- The debate turned eristic as both sides focused on winning rather than truth.
Examples
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Her eristic arguments annoyed her peers, as she seemed to argue only to win, not to find the truth.
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The forum was dominated by an eristic approach, with participants focused on scoring points rather than resolving issues.
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The philosopher's eristic style made debates lively but sometimes unproductive.
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His arguments were purely eristic and lacked any real substance.
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The politician was criticized for his eristic style, focusing more on winning debates than on the truth.
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During the discussion, her eristic arguments often left others feeling frustrated and confused.
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Instead of seeking common ground, he employed an eristic approach, prioritizing conflict over resolution.
Synonyms
22
5.3
Often likes to disagree with other people
1
9.8
Often likes to argue with other people
To argue just for the sake of arguing, often with weak reasons
Antonyms
How Argumentative
Surface Forms
Morphology
eristic = eris + ic
The adjective is built from the Greek combining form 'eris' plus '-ic'; the root is not a productive English base, so learners cannot transparently derive the meaning.
Etymology
Eristic comes from the Greek eris, meaning 'strife' or 'argument'. So if someone is eristic, they like to argue and often use clever but unfair points to win instead of looking for the truth.