Adjective describing something that cannot be proven true or supported by evidence; impossible to verify or establish as fact. It implies a lack of sufficient evidence, reliable sources, or sound reasoning to back up a claim, argument, or accusation. The term often suggests conjecture, speculation, or a statement based on opinion rather than concrete data. Claims deemed unsubstantiatable are typically dismissed or viewed with skepticism due to their inherent lack of credibility and supporting details. They may be deemed groundless, or without base, or support.
Unsubstantiatable meaning with examples
- The conspiracy theory circulating online about the government's involvement was deemed unsubstantiatable by fact-checkers due to its reliance on anonymous sources and a lack of verifiable evidence. The assertions made lacked any empirical data to support their claim of hidden agendas and manipulation, falling completely flat and being proven false by those of the fact-checking community.
- After a thorough investigation, the accusations of financial misconduct against the CEO were found to be unsubstantiatable. Auditors could not find any records or transactions that confirmed any wrongdoing, leading to the dismissal of the allegations and the reinstatement of the CEO's reputation. Due to the lack of proof, all charges were dismissed as being entirely without merit.
- The politician's promise to lower taxes immediately was labeled unsubstantiatable by economists, who pointed out that the proposed budget did not include sufficient revenue streams to offset the projected financial losses and cuts to services. Their analysis revealed no realistic way of achieving this goal, and the promise was viewed as mere political hyperbole.
- During the debate, the defense lawyer's attempt to portray the witness as unreliable was rendered unsubstantiatable when their character attacks were quickly proven false by contradicting testimonies and evidence that the witness was being truthful. The attempted slander ultimately backfired, as it damaged their credibility instead, and gave weight to the witness's account.