eristic
If you love to argue, you’re eristic. Being eristic is a fairly common quality for a debater to have.
Eristic describes things that have to do with an argument, or simply the tendency to debate, especially when someone loves to win an argument and values that more highly than arriving at the truth. The person doing the arguing can also be called an eristic: “It makes me mad when that eristic wins his debates with his false arguments.” The Greek root word is eris, “strife or discord.”
Definitions of eristic
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given to disputation for its own sake and often employing specious arguments
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synonyms:
eristical-
argumentative
given to or characterized by argument
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argumentative
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a person who disputes; who is good at or enjoys controversy
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synonyms:
controversialist, disputant-
types:
- show 28 types…
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contester
someone who contests an outcome (of a race or an election etc.)
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accuser
someone who imputes guilt or blame
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arguer, debater
someone who engages in debate
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denier
one who denies
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hairsplitter
a disputant who makes unreasonably fine distinctions
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logomach, logomachist
someone given to disputes over words
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obstructer, obstructionist, obstructor, resister, thwarter
someone who systematically obstructs some action that others want to take
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quarreler, quarreller
a disputant who quarrels
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crusader, meliorist, reformer, reformist, social reformer
a disputant who advocates reform
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abolitionist, emancipationist
a reformer who favors abolishing slavery
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birth-control campaigner, birth-control reformer
a social reformer who advocates birth control and family planning
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Chartist
a 19th century English reformer who advocated better social and economic conditions for working people
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civil rights activist, civil rights leader, civil rights worker
a leader of the political movement dedicated to securing equal opportunity for members of minority groups
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demonstrator, protester
someone who participates in a public display of group feeling
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devil’s advocate
someone who takes the worse side just for the sake of argument
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dry, prohibitionist
a reformer who opposes the use of intoxicating beverages
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conservationist, environmentalist
someone who works to protect the environment from destruction or pollution
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feminist, libber, women’s liberationist, women’s rightist
a supporter of feminism
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flower child, hippie, hippy, hipster
someone who rejects the established culture; advocates extreme liberalism in politics and lifestyle
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freedom fighter, insurgent, insurrectionist, rebel
a person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions)
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activist, militant
a militant reformer
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naysayer
someone with an aggressively negative attitude
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non-resistant, passive resister
a reformer who believes in passive resistance
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preservationist
someone who advocates the preservation of historical sites or endangered species or natural areas
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confuter, disprover, rebutter, refuter
a debater who refutes or disproves by offering contrary evidence or argument
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stonewaller
one who stonewalls or refuses to answer or cooperate; someone who delays by lengthy speeches etc.
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Utopian
an idealistic (but usually impractical) social reformer
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wrangler
someone who argues noisily or angrily
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the art of logical disputation (especially if specious)
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