arguably

adverb

ar·​gu·​ably ˈär-gyü-(ə-)blē 

: as may be argued or shown by argument

an arguably effective strategy

—used to say that a statement is very possibly true even if it is not certainly true

He was arguably the greatest writer of his era.

Examples of arguably in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Episodes of the Premier League Years, the Sky Sports show that boils down each season into two hours and is arguably the UK’s greatest cultural achievement, often begin with a montage of that season’s new arrivals. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026

This is a fitting season to mark the achievements of arguably the greatest Chicagoan in our city’s history. — Harold Pollack, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026

At 60, Chandler is arguably more attractive than ever, with the sort of seasoning that served James Garner so well as Jim Rockford, TV’s greatest detective. — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

The Military There is a perception that the war with Iran was lost, a bigger embarrassment than the exit from Afghanistan, which arguably gave Putin the confidence to invade Ukraine. — Vitaliy Katsenelson, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above