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

Keep scrolling for more

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

But that wasn’t the end of the encounter, as officers and the other students present had a tense standoff, arguing about whether or not Alexander ran from campus security. — Lucy Diavolo, Teen Vogue, "Viral Video Shows a Black Columbia University Student Being Pinned Down by Barnard College Security," 15 Apr. 2019 Which raises the question, what will everyone argue about next? — Janine Di Giovanni, Town & Country, "Is Brexit Ruining London Dinner Parties?," 25 Feb. 2019 Theoretical physicists argue about extensions to the Standard Model all the time. — Chris Lee, Ars Technica, "Physicists report electron is round—what does that mean?," 7 Nov. 2018 Then-deputy district attorney Marcia Clark, who later became a household name during the O.J. Simpson trial, argued that Bardo was obsessed, not insane. — Blake Bakkila, Good Housekeeping, "How Rebecca Schaeffer's Horrific Murder Led to the Nation's First Anti-Stalking Law," 12 Apr. 2019 The city’s inspector general released a report in 2018 arguing that CPD officers were not being sufficiently trained in the specifics of working in the city’s public school environments. — Lucy Diavolo, Teen Vogue, "Chicago Police Are Facing a Lawsuit After Video Showed Officers Beating 16-Year-Old Dnigma Howard," 12 Apr. 2019 And lots of people loathe it, pointing to the ballooning costs and arguing America's newest fighter is more flash than function. — Alex Hollings, Popular Mechanics, "An F-35 Pilot Explains What It's Like To Fly the Joint Strike Fighter," 5 Mar. 2019 Any tips on how not to lash out or how to argue more effectively? — Samantha Boardman, Marie Claire, "How to Argue (Respectfully)," 28 Mar. 2019 Albert's mother died at the age of 30 from stomach cancer, and a number of experts have argued that those earlier stomach issues were merely a symptom of cancerous growth. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "How Did Queen Victoria's Husband Prince Albert Die?," 4 Mar. 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.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about argue

Dictionary Entries near argue

Statistics for argue

Last Updated

2 May 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for argue

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

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

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