Scare quotes refer to the use of quotation marks around a word or phrase to indicate that it is being used in a non-standard, ironic, or skeptical way. The intention is often to suggest that the term does not fully capture the author's intended meaning or that it is being used in a way that is questionable, misleading, or even sarcastic. By employing scare quotes, the writer may be implying that the term is problematic or that its use is debatable.
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