Straw Man
A straw man is a debating move: you swap your opponent's real argument for a weaker, distorted version — one that's easier to knock down — and then attack that instead, as if you'd beaten the original.
Full definition of Straw Man →:: COMPARE ::
Straw manvsAd hominem
The short answer
A straw man attacks a distorted version of the argument. An ad hominem skips the argument altogether and attacks the person making it. One misrepresents what was said; the other changes the subject to who said it.
Side by side
| Aspect | Straw man | Ad hominem |
|---|---|---|
| The target | The argument, distorted | The person |
| The tactic | Misrepresent, then refute | Discredit the speaker |
| What's dodged | The real claim | The claim entirely |
| Both are | Informal fallacies | Informal fallacies |
What each one means
Ad hominem
The contrast above sets out how Ad hominem differs from Straw Man on the points that actually matter.