arguable
Americanadjective
-
susceptible to debate, challenge, or doubt; questionable.
Whether this is the best plan of action or not is arguable.
-
susceptible to being supported by convincing or persuasive argument.
Admirers agree that it is arguable he is the finest pianist of his generation.
adjective
-
capable of being disputed; doubtful
-
capable of being supported by argument; plausible
Other Word Forms
- arguably adverb
- nonarguable adjective
- unarguable adjective
- unarguably adverb
Etymology
Origin of arguable
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“He may want you to do something that is, you know, is arguable whether it’s the right path to go, but it’s a very rational approach to it.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026
Lord Sumption told us such a position is "barely arguable".
From BBC • Sep. 12, 2025
Judges at the Court of Appeal have now ruled that "there is no arguable basis on which it could be said that the sentence imposed by the judge was manifestly excessive".
From BBC • May 20, 2025
In addition, the arguable king of chips, Doritos, has also announced a new product just weeks before the Super Bowl, dubbed Golden Sriracha.
From Salon • Jan. 13, 2025
It is arguable that 2 + 2 will equal 4 in any universe; and, surely, levers and balances would work in the same way in any universe.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
