plausible

adjective plau·si·ble \ ˈplȯ-zə-bəl \

|Updated on: 18 Aug 2018

Examples: plausible in a Sentence

Editor's Note: You Can Believe This History of plausible

Definition of plausible

1 : superficially fair, reasonable, or valuable but often specious

a plausible pretext

2 : superficially pleasing or persuasive

a swindler … , then a quack, then a smooth, plausible gentleman
—R. W. Emerson

3 : appearing worthy of belief

the argument was both powerful and plausible

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plausibleness

noun

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plausibly

play \ˈplȯ-zə-blē\ adverb

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Examples of plausible in a Sentence

I watch the ospreys who nest on Perch Island high atop their white spruce. Our sense of a plausible summer depends much on their diligent success at nest-building and procreation, and on their chicks fledging in late August. —Richard Ford, Wall Street Journal, 14-15 June 2008
… I'd mastered the quick size-up. Does the person seem agreeable over coffee at the drugstore counter and picking up his mail at the post office, drive a plausible vehicle, and know the weather forecast? —Edward Hoagland, Harper's, June 2007
Now, two NASA scientists, both also astronauts, suggest a simpler, safer, and much more plausible way of diverting an offending asteroid. Their method relies on the gravitational tug of a massive, unmanned spacecraft to pull the rock away from a damaging rendezvous with Earth. —R. Cowen, Science News, 12 Nov. 2005
… string theorists can exhibit plausible models of a unified Universe, but unfortunately they cannot explain why we inhabit a particular one. —Michael Atiyah, Nature, 22-29 Dec. 2005
it's a plausible explanation for the demise of that prehistoric species

Recent Examples of plausible from the Web

Two of those scholars cited as one plausible explanation the account of the first chief doctor of St. Ottilien’s hospital, a 33-year-old physician from Lithuania named Zalman Grinberg, my grandfather.

— emanuella grinberg, Smithsonian, "When a Bavarian Monastery Provided a Home to Jewish Refugees," 11 July 2018
Curtis Dukes, the former head of cyberdefense at the National Security Agency, said there were several plausible explanations for the connection, including that the data could have been purchased on the dark web.

— robert mcmillan, WSJ, "For Millions of Hacked Federal Employees, New Fears of Identity Theft," 22 June 2018
After Roe has been duly chipped away at, an outright reversal would look more plausible.

— dylan matthews, Vox, "America under Brett Kavanaugh," 11 July 2018
She's rejected freedom to be an outlaw and she's also given up her only plausible piece of leverage.

— daniel fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, "Critic's Notebook: 'Handmaid's Tale' Finale a Case of Brilliant Acting, Frustrating Storytelling," 11 July 2018
After Davis’ story went public, more sightings were reported, some plausible, some clearly fabrications.

— joseph p. laycock, Smithsonian, "A Search for Mysteries and Monsters in Small Town America," 11 July 2018
That last detail, at least, feels perfectly plausible.

— jason kehe, WIRED, "Sci-Fi Invades Netflix—as They Both Invade Your Home," 9 July 2018
Separately, each carried plausible hope of making it to the final week, but the thought of all four advancing was far-fetched.

— steven goff, chicagotribune.com, "'Hard-working, compact, united and well-organized': The World Cup's surprising final four," 8 July 2018
If nothing else goes wrong, that’s the best plausible outcome, right?

— mike finger, San Antonio Express-News, "As hope of perfect outcome fades, Spurs face a choice," 2 July 2018

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

You Can Believe This History of plausible

Today the word plausible usually means "reasonable" or "believable," but it once held the meanings "worthy of being applauded" and "approving." It comes to us from the Latin adjective plausibilis ("worthy of applause"), which in turn derives from the verb plaudere, meaning "to applaud or clap." Other "plaudere" descendants in English include "applaud," "plaudit" (the earliest meaning of which was "a round of applause"), and "explode" (from Latin explodere, meaning "to drive off the stage by clapping).