cogency

[ koh-juhn-see ]

/ ˈkoʊ dʒən si /

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See synonyms for cogency on Thesaurus.com

noun

the quality or state of being convincing or persuasive: The cogency of the argument was irrefutable.

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Origin of cogency

First recorded in 1680–90; cog(ent) + -ency

OTHER WORDS FROM cogency

non·co·gen·cy, noun

Words nearby cogency

cofounder, C. of S., cofunction, cog, Cogan-Reese syndrome, cogency, cogeneration, cogent, Coggan, cogged, coggle

How to use cogency in a sentence

Unfortunately, Vermeulen lacked an air of cogency, most likely due to nerves, and was not as convincing.
The Prosecution vs. Oscar Pistorius: The Case So Far|Kelly Berold|March 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I have attended a few of his talks, which are blessed with cogency, wit, and deeply researched and clearly presented arguments.
The Nerds Who Won World War II|Marc Wortman|February 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Burke would have agreed entirely, and admired the cogency of so few words.
Obama is the Real Conservative|Jeffrey Hart|October 31, 2008|DAILY BEAST
These do not lack cogency, but betray a kind of thought different from that of the friends.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 15, Slice 4|Various

But, like all oft-repeated truths, it has in time lost something of its actuality and cogency.
The Poison Belt|Arthur Conan Doyle
This is the thought which underlies and gives cogency to the whole argument.
The Roman Poets of the Republic|William Young Sellar
What it can do, it does with a sharpness of effect and with a cogency of appeal no other art can rival.
A Book About the Theater|Brander Matthews
Weismann's demand for facts in support of the main proposition revealed at once that none having real cogency could be produced.
Evolution in Modern Thought|Ernst Haeckel