Facile vs Fatuous - What's the difference?
facile | fatuous |
Easy, now especially in a disparaging sense; contemptibly easy.
* , vol.I, New York, 2001, p.243:
Effortless, fluent (of work, abilities etc.).
* 1932 , (Duff Cooper), Talleyrand , Folio Society 2010, p. 54:
* 1974 , (Graham Greene), (The Honorary Consul) , Pocket Books, New York, p.54:
* 1990 , (Peter Hopkirk), The Great Game , Folio Society 2010, p. 372:
Lazy, simplistic (especially of explanations, discussions etc.).
* 2012 , (Chris Huhne), The Guardian , 3 May 2012:
(chemistry) Of a reaction or other process, taking place readily.
Obnoxiously stupid, vacantly silly, content in one's foolishness.
As adjectives the difference between facile and fatuous
is that facile is easy, now especially in a disparaging sense; contemptibly easy while fatuous is obnoxiously stupid, vacantly silly, content in one's foolishness.facile
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- as he that is benumbed with cold sits shaking, that might relieve himself with a little exercise or stirring, do they complain, but will not use the facile and ready means to do themselves good […].
- His facile disposition made him many friends.
- we can learn the impression that he made upon a stranger and a foreigner at this period, thanks to the facile pen of Fannu Burney.
- "Discipline," Jorge Julio Saavedra was repeating, "is more necessary to me than to other more facile writers.
- A facile and persuasive writer, he also turned out countless newspaper articles on Russian aims in Central Asia and how best these could be thwarted.
- There is a facile view that our green commitments – to tackling climate change, avoiding air and water pollution, protecting natural habitats – are an obstacle to growth. The message of the commodity markets is surely different.
- Decarboxylation of beta-keto acids is facile ...
Synonyms
* (skillful) See alsoExternal links
* * * ----fatuous
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- To compare the intelligence levels of men and women is itself fatuous .