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

Designed to lower auto emissions by temporarily shutting off the engine while the brake is engaged, it also makes driving feel unnatural, jerky and unenjoyable, Donio and his fellow stop-start haters argue.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

But activists argue that all this happens too late.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Analysts argue concerns over Microsoft’s $100 billion capital expenditure are shortsighted, as cloud contracts cover hardware life.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Critics argue the system rewards workers not for skill or experience, but for what their behavior reveals about their financial vulnerability.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

The way I was feeling, I didn’t even argue with Mama.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

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