cogency

noun

ˈkō-jən(t)-sē How to pronounce cogency (audio)
Definition of cogencynext
1
as in effectiveness
the capacity to persuade the cogency of Thomas Paine's celebrated case for American independence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in impact
the quality of an utterance that provokes interest and produces an effect satirical comments of great cogency

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cogency In one of its most demanding assignments of recent memory, the San Francisco Opera Chorus led by John Keene embodies one population after another — monkeys, undersea dwellers, gods and heavenly hangers-on — and does it with power and cogency. — Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Nov. 2025 TikTok’s algorithm started swamping me with humanities grad students of varying cogency. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025 Masterpiece remakes offer something very different, speaking to us with surprising urgency and cogency across time. — Jim Shepard, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025 The play echoes this ever-important sentiment but with far less cogency on an American stage. — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024 European leaders refused to comment on the record about their perceptions of Biden’s cogency. — Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY, 12 July 2024 The emphasis is on technical perfection, formal cogency, and unity of interpretive approach. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024 Here, his body of writing, published as well as unpublished, historical as well as contemporaneous, stands out for its cogency, intricacy, and fluency. — Fredrik Logevall, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cogency
  1. effectiveness
  2. impact
  3. conclusiveness
  4. significance
  5. validity
  6. importance
  7. authority
  8. persuasiveness
Noun
  • Implement a digital visual-management platform across six facilities to standardize workflows and improve infection prevention, care coordination, workforce effectiveness, quality, and patient safety.
    — Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Apart from the penalty, Meta agreed as part of the settlement to algorithmic changes that could dampen engagement and the effectiveness of its advertising, dampening investor sentiment toward the resolution of the case.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of effectiveness
Noun
  • Freshman wide receiver Jonathon Lee is making an immediate impact on the program.
    — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Therefore, analysts note that if extreme weather worsens water and power scarcity, the impact could ripple through the entire semiconductor supply chain.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of impact
Noun
  • On Friday morning, Burke’s defense team tried to sow doubt about the conclusiveness of the autopsy conducted in the case.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
  • But his dictionary, with its conclusiveness, was a huge publishing success.
    — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Definition of conclusiveness
Noun
  • The first prince of Norwegian descent born in 567 years, his birth held special significance for the young Norwegian monarchy.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Two days later, then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin canceled them, saying a decision of such significance should rest with him.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of significance
Noun
  • The crux of the dispute surrounds the validity of a contract extension option for Mateta, one which Palace exercised in December 2024.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • As enterprise value continues to shift toward intangible assets, IP ownership, validity and enforceability directly inform valuation defensibility and post closing performance assumptions.
    — Keegan Caldwell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of validity
Noun
  • Thanks to my friends’ beloved babies and the perks of my job—which have included putting together a list of essential children’s books—I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of reading with children.
    — Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Fame was of prime importance to the ancient Greeks, and Wilson is the rare classical scholar who has firsthand knowledge of a public life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of importance
Noun
  • On Monday, shortly after authorities began downgrading some mandatory evacuation orders to warnings around Somersett, Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam said people were already venturing too far into dangerous wildlands.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The fourth person, who's at large, has not yet been identified by authorities.
    — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of authority
Noun
  • What gets funded should reflect the merits of the opportunity, not the persuasiveness of the person who built the deck.
    — Amer Al Ahbabi, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Blarney Castle is, of course, home to the legendary Blarney Stone—a block of limestone built into the castle that’s said to gift eloquence and persuasiveness to whoever kisses it.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026
Definition of persuasiveness

Browse Nearby Words

cog
cogency
cogent
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cogency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cogency. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on cogency

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cogency

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All