Meaning & use
non sequitur
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A statement or conclusion that does not logically follow from what was said before.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a non sequitur' or 'non sequiturs'.
Patterns
- a non sequitur in something
- commit a non sequitur
His argument was full of non sequiturs, so it was hard to follow.
The report's conclusion was a non sequitur; the data did not support it.
She pointed out the non sequitur in his reasoning.
nouncountableinformalhumorous
A remark that seems unrelated to the conversation, often used for humorous effect.
Grammar: Countable; often used in informal or literary contexts.
Patterns
- a non sequitur remark
- respond with a non sequitur
When asked about his plans, he replied with a non sequitur about penguins.
The comedian's act was full of non sequiturs that made the audience laugh.
Her sudden question was a non sequitur that confused everyone.
Word forms
| plural | non sequiturs |
|---|
Common combinations
- a complete non sequitur
- His answer was a complete non sequitur to the question.
- logical non sequitur
- The essay was criticized for its logical non sequitur.
- commit a non sequitur
- In formal logic, to commit a non sequitur is a fallacy.
- non sequitur humor
- The show is known for its non sequitur humor.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fallacy
- A fallacy is a mistaken belief or a flawed argument, while a non sequitur specifically refers to a conclusion that does not follow from the premises.
- irrelevance
- Irrelevance is the quality of not being connected, whereas a non sequitur is a specific statement that lacks logical connection.
Opposites
Commonly confused: non sequitur or non sequitur vs. non sequitur?
non sequitur vs non sequitur vs. non sequitur
Sometimes misspelled as 'non sequiter' or 'non sequitor'; the correct spelling is 'non sequitur'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'non sequitur' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 correctly uses 'non sequitur' to describe a conclusion that does not logically follow. The other options misuse the term: option 1 describes a correct calculation, option 2 suggests a logical step, and option 3 implies a smooth connection.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “non sequitur”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.