straw man

Meaning

Noun

1. A doll or scarecrow, particularly one stuffed with straw.
2. (figuratively) An innocuous person or someone of nominal or lesser importance, as a front man or straw boss.
3. (figuratively) An insubstantial concept, idea, endeavor or argument, particularly one deliberately set up to be weakly supported, e.g. by misrepresenting an opponent's argument by broadening or narrowing the scope of a premise, so that it can be easily knocked down; especially to impugn the strength of any related or contrasted thing or idea.
4. (figuratively) An outline serving as an initial proposal for a project, usually refined iteratively.
5. Synonym of straw buyer.

Verb

To falsely attribute an insubstantial argument (a straw man argument) to another through direct declaration or indirect implication; to put words in someone's mouth.

Opposite of

steelman

Synonyms

strawman

scarecrow

front man

figurehead

scarer

nominal head

straw person

pretext

bird-scarer

front

nominal owners

guise

lifeline

pretence

pretense

self-justification

stalking-horse

fish

🐟

excuse

Translations

homme de paille

espantalho

épouvantail

σκιάχτρο

espantaocells

Strohmann

spaventapasseri

home de palla

αχυράνθρωπος

informelle Abstimmung

Probeumfrage

encobridor

Probeabstimmung

Strohpuppe

testaferro

Etymology

Cognate with Western Frisian: strieman

Cognate with Dutch: strooman

Cognate with German: Strohmann

Cognate with Danish: stråmand

Cognate with Swedish: stråman

Cognate with Norwegian: stråmann

In summary

From straw + man.
Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1986 passim, shows first known usages for things insubstantial date to 1585-95. Universal Dictionary of the English Language, 1897, Vol 4, p. 4485, notes “man of straw” as “The figure of a man formed of an old suit of clothes stuffed with straw; hence, the mere resemblance of a man; one of no substance or means; an imaginary person.”
Compare West Frisian strieman, Dutch strooman, stroman, German Strohmann, Danish stråmand, Swedish stråman, Norwegian stråmann.