plausible
plausible Lexical Profile
plausible Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Seeming reasonable, probable, or worthy of belief (used especially of an argument, statement, or explanation).
"The historian offered a plausible explanation for the sudden abandonment of the ancient settlement."
Skilled at producing persuasive, smooth, and often specious arguments, sometimes to deceive or mislead (used of a person).
"He was such a plausible speaker that few investors questioned his promises until the company collapsed."
Word Nuance & Usage
When applied to a person rather than an argument, "plausible" often carries a skeptical or slightly negative undertone, suggesting someone who is smooth-talking or superficially convincing with an intent to deceive.
• Rhymes for plausible
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-16th century from Latin plausibilis ("deserving applause, pleasing, acceptable"), derived from plaudere ("to clap, applaud"). The sense shifted from "worthy of applause" to "superficially pleasing or credible."