argue

verb

ar·gue | \ ˈär-(ˌ)gyü

argued; arguing

Definition of argue

intransitive verb

1 : to give reasons for or against something : reason argue for a new policy

2 : to contend or disagree in words : dispute They're always arguing about money.

transitive verb

1 : to give evidence of : indicate The facts argue his innocence.

2 : to consider the pros and cons of : discuss argue an issue

3 : to prove or try to prove by giving reasons : maintain asking for a chance to argue his case

4 : to persuade by giving reasons : induce couldn't argue her out of going

Other Words from argue Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about argue

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Choose the Right Synonym for argue

discuss, argue, debate mean to discourse about in order to reach conclusions or to convince. discuss implies a sifting of possibilities especially by presenting considerations pro and con. discussed the need for a new highway argue implies the offering of reasons or evidence in support of convictions already held. argued that the project would be too costly debate suggests formal or public argument between opposing parties debated the merits of the amendment ; it may also apply to deliberation with oneself. I'm debating whether I should go

Examples of argue in a Sentence

She argued against the proposed law. The senator argued in favor of lowering taxes. He's always willing to argue for what is right. She argued that the proposed law should be defeated. He argued that it's far too early to make a decision. No one can argue me out of doing this. They started arguing about politics. She would argue with anyone.

Recent Examples on the Web

Neither her trial nor her life sentence were fair, the sister argued. — Dan Hinkel, chicagotribune.com, "Nancy Rish seeks new sentence in notorious 1987 murder of Kankakee businessman who was buried alive," 8 July 2019 However, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who had rebuffed requests for records held by his agency, is appealing Judge Ulmer’s ruling, arguing anew that the Department of Justice shouldn’t have to release records on local police misconduct. — Dan Walters, The Mercury News, "Walters: California agencies often stall on public records access," 8 July 2019 Some people argue that summer school doesn’t need special activities or rewards for attendance and good behavior, but the enrichment is key to getting kids to engage in their lessons, said Denise Delgado, the foundation’s executive director. — Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, "Want to prevent summer learning loss in your kids? Don’t forget to include fun, experts say.," 8 July 2019 Postman not only adopted this position but also argued that this concept was one of the far-reaching consequences of movable type, which first appeared in Mainz, Germany, in the late 15th century. — Kate Eichhorn, WIRED, "Social Media Could Make It Impossible to Grow Up," 8 July 2019 The decision was disputed within the administration, with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar arguing against the change, according to individuals familiar with the discussion. — Author: Amy Goldstein, Anchorage Daily News, "Court decision on Affordable Care Act could create political havoc for GOP," 7 July 2019 The change, argued Mr Mitsotakis and his supporters, undermines the identity and integrity of the Greek region of Macedonia; the deal, however, has now gone through. — The Economist, "Family trouble," 4 July 2019 The defense also motioned to suppress photographs of the scene from the trial, but that was not argued in court. — Cody Boteler, baltimoresun.com, "Motion to suppress evidence in case that killed 5-year-old and her grandmother in Timonium is denied," 3 July 2019 Legal options are limited Theoretically, the Federal Trade Commission or state attorneys general could file lawsuits against ISPs and argue that this type of fee is unfair and deceptive and therefore violates consumer-protection laws. — Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, "Frontier customer bought his own router—but has to pay $10 rental fee anyway," 2 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'argue.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Jul 2019

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Time Traveler for argue

The first known use of argue was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for argue

argue

verb

English Language Learners Definition of argue

: to give reasons for or against something : to say or write things in order to change someone's opinion about what is true, what should be done, etc.

: to cause (someone) to decide to do or not do something by giving reasons

: to disagree or fight by using angry words

See the full definition for argue in the English Language Learners Dictionary

argue

verb

ar·gue | \ ˈär-gyü

argued; arguing