False Dilemma

Presenting only two options when more exist (also called black-or-white thinking).

  • informal

A false dilemma (or false dichotomy / black-or-white fallacy) frames a situation as having only two mutually exclusive outcomes, ignoring the full range of possibilities. It pressures a choice between extremes when middle grounds or other alternatives are available.

Examples

  • “Either we cut the entire budget or the company goes bankrupt.”
  • “You're either with us or against us.”

Why it works & how to counter

Persuasive because it simplifies a hard decision into a clean binary. Counter it by naming a third option or a spectrum the framing left out.