argue

American  

[ahr-gyoo] / ˈɑr gyu /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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Usage

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. 

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of argue

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”)

Example Sentences

Sconset homeowners argue that they are saving the town tens of millions of dollars by protecting Baxter Road itself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

By submitting to men, tradwife proponents argue, a woman will activate his chivalric urge to protect and provide.

From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026

Supporters of the amendment argue that it will clear up ambiguities in the current law.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Yet city officials estimate that more than 5,000 properties sit empty most of the year, which some advocates argue worsens the city’s housing shortage and affordability crisis.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

The American part of me wanted to argue that it wasn’t true.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

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