plausible

[plaw-zuh-buhl]

adjective

1. having an appearance of truth or reason; seemingly worthy of approval or acceptance; credible; believable.

   a plausible excuse; a plausible plot.

   Antonyms: sincere, honest

2. well-spoken and apparently, but often deceptively, worthy of confidence or trust.

   a plausible commentator.

plausible

/ ˈplɔːzəbəl /

adjective

1. apparently reasonable, valid, truthful, etc

   a plausible excuse

2. apparently trustworthy or believable

   a plausible speaker

Other Word Forms

• plausibility noun
• plausibleness noun
• plausibly adverb
• nonplausibility noun
• nonplausible adjective
• nonplausibleness noun
• nonplausibly adverb
• overplausible adjective
• overplausibleness noun
• overplausibly adverb
• superplausible adjective
• superplausibleness noun
• superplausibly adverb
• unplausible adjective
• unplausibleness noun
• unplausibly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of plausible¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin plausibilis “deserving applause,” equivalent to plaus(us) (past participle of plaudere “to applaud” + -ibilis adjective suffix; applaud, -ible

Word History and Origins

Origin of plausible¹

C16: from Latin plausibilis worthy of applause, from plaudere to _applaud

Synonym Study

Plausible, specious describe that which has the appearance of truth but might be deceptive. The person or thing that is plausible strikes the superficial judgment favorably; it may or may not be true: a plausible argument (one that cannot be verified or believed in entirely). Specious definitely implies deceit or falsehood; the surface appearances are quite different from what is beneath: a specious pretense of honesty; a specious argument (one deliberately deceptive, probably for selfish or evil purposes).

Example Sentences

It wasn’t a vision in which easy resolutions seemed plausible, and there aren’t any in Capote’s Thanksgiving tale.

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The gifted and logorrheic podcaster has lately asserted an argument on “collective punishment” and “identity” that sounds, at first, vaguely plausible.

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His analysis of American imperatives in the Middle East was plausible—up to the moment when hijacked passenger jets hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

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At times, it seemed plausible that the team might never reach the game’s biggest stage ever again.

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But several strategists and portfolio managers suspect another catalyst looks like a plausible explanation as to why bitcoin, specifically, has come under pressure.

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Related Words

• conceivable 
• credible 
• logical 
• persuasive 
• possible 
• probable 
• tenable 
• valid