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

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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 — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024 Here, his body of writing, published as well as unpublished, historical as well as contemporaneous, stands out for its cogency, intricacy, and fluency.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
  • Swimming, sweating and even everyday wear can reduce its effectiveness over time.
    — Kaitlyn Harvey, AJC.com, 17 July 2026
  • The effectiveness of a monitoring system ultimately depends not only on the volume of data collected but also on the credibility, security, and reliability of the information produced.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2026
Definition of effectiveness
Noun
  • His departure left a significant hole in Toronto's coaching staff, but his impact has continued to resonate with players who worked alongside him.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • Even communities outside the immediate fire zone are feeling the impact.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Definition of impact
Noun
  • But his dictionary, with its conclusiveness, was a huge publishing success.
    — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Definition of conclusiveness
Noun
  • The mountain retained religious significance into the Christian era.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
  • Historians and Egyptologists have debated the significance of these artifacts for decades.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 17 July 2026
Definition of significance
Noun
  • The photo only led to more questions about McConnell’s health as many people doubted the photo’s validity.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 13 July 2026
  • Garbrandt didn’t really complain after Dean’s decision, and that’s a major indicator of the validity of the ref’s decision.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
Definition of validity
Noun
  • Doctors are emphasizing the importance of minimizing your time in the smoke as much as possible.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • This surge in foreign investment and economic expansion, including major deals like a $10 billion AI agreement with NVIDIA, underscores the region's rising global importance.
    — Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of importance
Noun
  • Flock has previously denied contracts with ICE or other immigration authorities and has said customers can give data access to certain agencies, depending on local or state laws.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 15 July 2026
  • Fuselier was charged with evading arrest early on Tuesday, July 14, as authorities gathered more evidence for additional charges, police said.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of authority
Noun
  • That McDuffie is close—despite his low-key affect and late entry in the race—speaks more to apprehension about Lewis George than to the persuasiveness of his campaign.
    — Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
  • The persuasiveness of the AI persona is so strong that people can be misled.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Definition of persuasiveness

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Cite this Entry

“Cogency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cogency. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cogency

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cogency

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