steel man
/ˈstiːl ˌmæn/
strengthening an opponent's argument before refuting it
steel man in a sentence
“The strongest version of your point would be... but even that fails because...”
Origin of steel man
The opposite of straw man—building up rather than distorting
Related Words
moving the goalposts
changing the criteria for proof after they're met
special pleading
applying standards to others that you exempt yourself from
cherry picking
selecting only evidence that supports your conclusion
quoting out of context
distorting meaning by removing surrounding context
motte and bailey
retreating to a defensible claim when challenged, then advancing again
straw man
misrepresenting an argument to make it easier to attack