CEFR C1

sophist

noun

Meaning

A person who uses clever but false arguments, often to persuade people of something that is not true.

Examples

  • The ancient Greeks were wary of sophists who could argue either side of a case with equal skill.
  • He accused his opponent of being a sophist, more interested in winning the debate than in finding the truth.

Synonyms: trickster, deceiver, fallacist, equivocator