Definition of "sophistry" [soph•ist•ry]

• Plausible but fallacious argumentation. (noun)
• A plausible but misleading or fallacious argument. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Several in company checked him from time to time for his bitter reflections instead of arguments, and wished him, if he could to answer my arguments, which he called sophistry, assuring him that until he did, they must receive my opinion and arguments as scriptural and sound reasoning."
• "The people who have attained the levers of government power have demonstrated considerable skill in sophistry in order to obtain power that was not intended to be granted."
• "Furthermore, this piece of sophistry from the Catholic League conveniently ignores the fact that there is no statistical correlation between homosexuality and pedophilia (despite what some people may choose to believe) and the majority of adults charged with sexual exploitation of minors are not gay but straight — including many who are married and have children of their own."