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Opinion and Argument - Argument and Reasoning

Here you will learn some English words related to argument and reasoning such as "support", "talking point", and "unarguably".

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Words Related to Opinion and Argument
ratiocination

the process of logical thinking or reasoning

Ex: Sherlock Holmes's keen ratiocination enabled him to solve even the most perplexing mysteries. 
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to score points

‌to gain advantage over others by doing or saying something that receives a positive reaction, especially in an argument

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to score off

to try to prove that one is more clever than someone else by making witty remarks

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to signpost

to clearly indicate or highlight the structure, direction, or development of a speech, argument, or presentation

Ex: The lecturer signposted the main points at the start of her talk. 
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signposting

‌the process of showing or understanding how something such as a speech or argument is organized or is going to develop

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to slant
to slant
[Verb]

to interpret or present information with a subjective point of view or bias

Ex: The journalist was accused of slanting the news article. 
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sophist
sophist
[noun]

someone that is skilled in devious argumentation

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sophistry
sophistry
[noun]

the use of clever but deceptive arguments intended to mislead

Ex: His argument was pure sophistry, designed to confuse the jury. 
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special pleading

an unfair attempt to persuade someone by only giving them facts that are in line with one's point of view

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to [split] hairs

to highlight insignificant details or small distinctions between two things

Ex: You're splitting hairs; both options lead to the same result. 
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summing-up

the judge's summary near the end of a trial in court, specifically to remind the jury of the evidence and the main arguments concerning the case

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to sum up
to sum up
[Verb]

to briefly state the most important parts or facts of something

Ex: To save time, the presenter decided to sum the discussion up quickly. 
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to support

to provide evidence or information in order to prove that something, especially a claim or idea is true

Ex: She conducted experiments to support her hypothesis about the impact of climate change on marine life. 
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to sustain

to support an opinion, argument, theory, etc. or to prove it's credibility

Ex: She presented evidence to sustain her argument during the debate. 
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syllogism
syllogism
[noun]

a form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion that logically follows from them

Ex: The classic syllogism goes: All humans are mortal; Socrates is human; therefore, Socrates is mortal. 
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talking point

a topic of interest, especially one that supports a particular argument that invites discussion

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the balance of evidence

the most probable result or answer obtained from the evidence on both sides of an argument

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there
there
[Adverb]

regarding a specific issue or matter

Ex: I agree with you there. 
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the thrust

(of an argument, policy, etc.) the main point that shows the main idea or intention of what someone is saying or doing

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to start with

used when stating the first and foremost reason or point that needs to be mentioned or considered

Ex: There are problems. To start with, neither of us likes housework. 
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touche
touche
[interjection]

used humorously to show that someone has made a good point in an argument or discussion

Ex: Your critique of my argument's weak points was sharp, touché. 
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unanswerable
unanswerable
[Adjective]

(of an argument or claim) impossible to refute or disagree with because of being clearly true

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unarguable
unarguable
[Adjective]

not open to argument or disagreement

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unarguably
unarguably
[Adverb]

in a way that can not be disputed or disagreed with

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unchallengeable
unchallengeable
[Adjective]

(of a belief, idea, etc.) impossible to oppose or argue with

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to underpin

to back up or form the basis of an argument by providing support

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underpinning

a set of opinions, motives, or ideas that serve as a foundation of an argument, claim, etc.

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weak point

a flaw or imperfection in one's character that makes one vulnerable

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while
while
[conjunction]

despite the fact that; even though

Ex: While she had reservations about the plan, she decided to go along with it. 
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whilst
whilst
[conjunction]

used to indicate a contrast between two ideas or actions

Ex: She enjoys hiking whilst he prefers staying indoors. 
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to [wipe] the floor with {sb}

to completely beat someone in an argument or competition, particularly in a humiliating way

Ex: The defending champions wiped the floor with their rivals in the final. 
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