Definition
A false dichotomy, also called a false dilemma, frames a situation as a choice between exactly two options when other options exist. It works by making one of the two presented options look unreasonable, so the other one seems inevitable, without ever acknowledging the alternatives that were left out.
Example
"Either we ban the product entirely, or we accept that people will keep getting hurt." This ignores every option between the two extremes: stricter labeling, age restrictions, safety redesigns, or limited availability. Naming any one of those breaks the frame, because the debater's argument depended on there being nothing in between.
Common mistakes
Debaters sometimes overcorrect and accuse every either/or statement of being a false dichotomy, even when a situation genuinely has only two live options. The fallacy applies specifically when a real third option exists and has been left out of the framing, not whenever someone simplifies a choice. Before calling this out, be ready to name the missing option. A false dichotomy accusation without a concrete alternative is just an assertion, not a rebuttal.