Definitions

so-called

[soh-kawld] / ˈsoʊˈkɔld /

ADJECTIVE

supposed

Synonyms

STRONGEST

alleged formal purported self-styled

WEAK

allegedly commonly named itular nominal ostensible pretended professed self-named soi-disant wrongly named

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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From Barron's • May 14, 2026

So-called "novel breeding techniques" are a closely-guarded secret.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

So-called hawks are more inclined to fight inflation with interest-rate hikes and to refrain from cutting rates.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

So-called startup cowboys are making Lockhart, Texas, the new tech hotspot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

So-called epidemic diseases, though, produce no cases for a long time, then a whole wave of cases, then no more cases again for a while.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Vocabulary lists containing so-called

Booked

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The Losers Club

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We Are Displaced

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