Meaning & use
casuistic
Last updated
Relating to or characterized by casuistry; using clever but often misleading or overly subtle reasoning to resolve moral problems.
See it in a sentence
Critics accused the lawyer of casuistic arguments designed to excuse clearly unethical behavior.
The philosopher's casuistic method examined each moral dilemma through detailed hypothetical cases.
A note on using this word
"Casuistic" derives from "casuistry," the practice of resolving moral questions through case-based reasoning, a term that has taken on negative connotations of deceptive rationalization.
Words with a similar meaning
sophisticspecious
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
straightforward
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “casuistic”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.