argue

[ahr-gyoo]

verb (used without object)

argued, arguing 

1. to present reasons for or against a thing.

   He argued in favor of capital punishment.

2. to contend in oral disagreement; dispute.

   The senator argued with the president about the new tax bill.

verb (used with object)

argued, arguing 

1. to state the reasons for or against.

   The lawyers argued the case.

2. to maintain in reasoning.

   to argue that the news report must be wrong.

3. to persuade, drive, etc., by reasoning.

   to argue someone out of a plan.

4. to show; prove; imply; indicate.

   His clothes argue poverty.

argue

/ ˈɑːɡjuː /

verb

1. (intr) to quarrel; wrangle

   they were always arguing until I arrived

2. (intr; often foll by for or against) to present supporting or opposing reasons or cases in a dispute; reason

3. (tr; may take a clause as object) to try to prove by presenting reasons; maintain

4. (tr; often passive) to debate or discuss

   the case was fully argued before agreement was reached

5. (tr) to persuade

   he argued me into going

6. (tr) to give evidence of; suggest

   her looks argue despair

Other Word Forms

• arguer noun
• counterargue verb
• overargue verb
• reargue verb
• well-argued adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of argue¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French arguer, from Latin argūtāre, argūtārī “to babble, chatter,” frequentative of arguere “to prove, assert, accuse” (in Medieval Latin: “to argue, reason”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of argue¹

C14: from Old French arguer to assert, charge with, from Latin arguere to make clear, accuse; related to Latin argūtus clear, argentum silver

Example Sentences

In a philosophical discussion of the kind that is more common on college campuses than in corporate headquarters, Jordan and Yash argue about whether mankind has made moral progress.

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“It would also be hard to argue, on any objective measure, that Canada’s banking system is anything other than an oligopoly,” Rogers told a blue-chip Toronto audience.

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It has pointed to research it and aviation regulators have funded to argue there is no evidence that fume-related toxins are released in sufficient quantities to cause significant harm.

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Shelby Houlihan had argued at the time that something in the meat she consumed had led her to test positive for a steroid called nandrolone.

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Still, it’s hard to argue with the results.

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Related Words

• appeal 
• assert 
• claim 
• contend 
• defend 
• demonstrate 
• explain 
• indicate 
• maintain 
• plead 
• present 
• suggest 
• testify 

When To Use

What are other ways to say argue?

To argue is to present reasons for or against a thing or to contend in oral disagreement. How does argue compare to discuss and debate? Find out on Thesaurus.com.