false equivalence

[ fawls i-kwiv-uh-luhns ]

noun

1. a logical fallacy in which one assumes or asserts that two things are the same or equal when, while alike in some ways, they are not sufficiently similar to be considered equivalent.

Word History and Origins

Origin of false equivalence¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

This false equivalence does both journalists and readers a great disservice.

From Slate

It could have stopped using soft, empty language and false equivalence, and made it crystal clear to the public that if elected Trump would turn America into a racist, authoritarian regime where facts don’t matter.

From Salon

If journalism's “bias” is to report what is factual, that kind of “neutrality” in the age of Trump is rapidly becoming an anachronism of false equivalence.

From Salon

The Trump partisans were screaming that the moderators were too tough on Vance while the Democratic partisans moaned in agony about “false equivalence.”

From Salon

Such moments of pro-democracy journalism and bold truth-telling are, for the most part, inconsistent and quickly retreated from as the mainstream media defautls back to its bad and obsolete habits of false equivalence, “bothsidesism,” “objectivity,” and horserace politics.

From Salon