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plausible

adjective
plau·​si·​ble | \ ˈplȯ-zə-bəl How to pronounce plausible (audio) \

Definition of plausible

1 : superficially fair, reasonable, or valuable but often specious a plausible pretext
2 : superficially pleasing or persuasive a swindler …  , then a quack, then a smooth, plausible gentleman— R. W. Emerson
3 : appearing worthy of belief the argument was both powerful and plausible
Other Words from plausible Synonyms & Antonyms You Can Believe This History of Plausible More Example Sentences Learn More about plausible

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Other Words from plausible

plausibleness noun
plausibly \ ˈplȯ-​zə-​blē How to pronounce plausibly (audio) \ adverb

You Can Believe This History of Plausible

Today the word plausible usually means "reasonable" or "believable," but it once held the meanings "worthy of being applauded" and "approving." It comes to us from the Latin adjective plausibilis ("worthy of applause"), which in turn derives from the verb plaudere, meaning "to applaud or clap." Other "plaudere" descendants in English include "applaud," "plaudit" (the earliest meaning of which was "a round of applause"), and "explode" (from Latin explodere, meaning "to drive off the stage by clapping).

Examples of plausible in a Sentence

I watch the ospreys who nest on Perch Island high atop their white spruce. Our sense of a plausible summer depends much on their diligent success at nest-building and procreation, and on their chicks fledging in late August. — Richard Ford, Wall Street Journal, 14-15 June 2008 … I'd mastered the quick size-up. Does the person seem agreeable over coffee at the drugstore counter and picking up his mail at the post office, drive a plausible vehicle, and know the weather forecast? — Edward Hoagland, Harper's, June 2007 Now, two NASA scientists, both also astronauts, suggest a simpler, safer, and much more plausible way of diverting an offending asteroid. Their method relies on the gravitational tug of a massive, unmanned spacecraft to pull the rock away from a damaging rendezvous with Earth. — R. Cowen, Science News, 12 Nov. 2005 … string theorists can exhibit plausible models of a unified Universe, but unfortunately they cannot explain why we inhabit a particular one. — Michael Atiyah, Nature, 22-29 Dec. 2005 it's a plausible explanation for the demise of that prehistoric species
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Its dystopia is perfectly plausible, a deft rendition of the problems panting against our present. — Wired, "WIRED's 13 Must-Read Books for Fall," 12 Sep. 2019 Now her challenge is to finance a Nashville trip, and the movie’s challenge is to make her efforts plausible. — Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, "‘Wild Rose’ Review: Redemption Song," 20 June 2019 The judge rules that Brophy has stated a plausible claim for using his likeness without consent. — Eriq Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, "Cardi B Must Face Lawsuit Over Distinctive Tattoo on Album Cover," 23 Aug. 2019 That prophecy sounds all too plausible today, but very few people were making it in 1940. — Smithsonian, "John Steinbeck’s Epic Ocean Voyage Rewrote the Rules of Ecology," 22 Aug. 2019 In theory, the league’s hard salary cap creates parity by putting teams on equal footing and giving each a plausible shot at the Super Bowl. — Sean Gregory/cleveland, Time, "“It's Time.” The Cleveland Browns Are Ready to Start Winning," 22 Aug. 2019 Tech like this is just wild enough to capture the imagination—and just plausible enough to obscure the reality of Amazon. — Dustin Kurtz, The New Republic, "Why Amazon’s Twitter Ambassadors Are So Sad," 16 Aug. 2019 Apple's complaint further argued: Corellium has no plausible defense to these acts of copyright infringement. — Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, "Apple sues company that sells “perfect replicas” of iOS without a license," 16 Aug. 2019 Not only did Antonio Brown depart Pittsburgh, but so did veteran TE Jesse James, leaving a plausible path for McDonald to become the Steelers’ No. 2 receiver. — Des Bieler, The Denver Post, "The top fantasy football tight ends to draft in 2019," 15 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plausible.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of plausible

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for plausible

Latin plausibilis worthy of applause, from plausus, past participle of plaudere

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More Definitions for plausible

plausible

adjective
How to pronounce plausible (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of plausible

: possibly true : believable or realistic

See the full definition for plausible in the English Language Learners Dictionary

plausible

adjective
plau·​si·​ble | \ ˈplȯ-zə-bəl How to pronounce plausible (audio) \

Kids Definition of plausible

: seeming to be reasonable a plausible excuse

Other Words from plausible

plausibly \ -​blē \ adverb

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More from Merriam-Webster on plausible

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for plausible

Spanish Central: Translation of plausible

Nglish: Translation of plausible for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of plausible for Arabic Speakers

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