Re: Not only was his braggadocio boring, but his claims were $\qquad$ ; he
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01 Jul 2025, 04:00
"Not only was his braggadocio boring, but his claims were ________ ; he obviously lacked the intellectual savvy to serve on the judiciary committee, and I suspected that he lacked the credentials as well."
- The blank describes the nature of his claims (statements or assertions).
- The context is negative:
1. His "braggadocio" (boastful talk) was boring.
2. He lacked intellectual savvy (mental sharpness) for the judiciary committee.
3. The speaker suspected he lacked credentials (qualifications).
- Therefore, his claims must be false, illogical, or untrustworthy.
Evaluating the Options:
We need two words that mean false, misleading, or nonsensical in this context.
A. incoherent
- Meaning: Unclear, illogical, or hard to understand.
- Fits - If his claims were incoherent, it would align with lacking intellectual savvy.
B. spurious
- Meaning: Fake, false, or not genuine.
- Fits perfectly - Directly suggests his claims were untrustworthy.
C. flippant
- Meaning: Lacking seriousness, disrespectfully casual.
- Doesn't fit - While negative, it doesn't mean "false" or "illogical."
D. conversant
- Meaning: Knowledgeable or familiar with a subject.
- Doesn't fit - This is positive and contradicts the context.
E. bogus
- Meaning: Fake, counterfeit.
- Fits perfectly - Synonymous with "spurious."
F. blasphemous
- Meaning: Irreverent, insulting to religion.
- Doesn't fit - Irrelevant to the context (no mention of religion).
Best Choices:
The two words that best describe false or untrustworthy claims are:
- B. spurious (fake, false)
- E. bogus (fake, counterfeit)
"Incoherent" (A) could also work, but it emphasizes lack of clarity rather than falseness, which is less precise here.