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alternative fact

noun

Etymology

This term gained prominence after it was used by Kellyanne Conway in January 2017 and widely repeated in the US media.

Definitions

  1. Something presented as a fact for reasons of political expediency

    Something presented as a fact for reasons of political expediency; a fiction, a falsehood, a lie.

    • They are creating their own facts, but one need not be in Government to create alternative facts.
    • According to Donald Trump we live in an era of "fake news" where his "alternative facts" should be swallowed whole, and without scrutiny.
    • Prime ministers have not been immune to spreading alternative facts.

  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically

    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see alternative, fact.

    • That Newton was an empirical scientist is a fact. An alternative fact is that he was an alchemist.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for alternative fact. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA