C2adjectiveformalacademic
US/ˈspjʊr.i.əs/
UK/ˈspjʊə.ri.əs/
false or not genuine, though it may look real; also based on faulty reasoning
In context
The link between the two trends turned out to be spurious, caused by a third factor.
Advertisers often make spurious claims about how quickly their courses work.
He dismissed the criticism as spurious and refused to change the report.
Words that go with spurious
adjective + noun
- spurious correlationIce cream sales and drowning show a spurious correlation; both rise in summer.
- spurious claimsThe company was fined for making spurious claims about its product.
- spurious argumentThat is a spurious argument based on a single example.
- spurious groundsShe was dismissed on spurious grounds.
- spurious relationshipWithout a control group, you may find a spurious relationship.