Plausible Meaning
/ˈplɔː.zɪ.bl̩/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjSeemingly or apparently valid, likely, or acceptable; conceivably true or likely.
adjObtaining approbation; specifically pleasing; apparently right; specious.
Sentence Examples
Your explanation sounds plausible, but it just doesn't hold water.
A more plausible proposal is the one Leech presented in conjunction with Emmet's theory.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The detective found the suspect's alibi to be ____ because the timing matched.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The scientist offered a ____ explanation for the anomaly that satisfied most of the reviewers.
Word Origin & History
From Latin plausibilis (“deserving applause, praiseworthy, acceptable, pleasing”), from the participle stem of plaudere (“to applaud”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"In short, the twin assumptions that syntactic rules are category-based, and that there are a highly restricted finite set of categories in any natural language (perhaps no more than a dozen major categories), together with the assumption that the child either knows (innately) or learns (by experience) that all rules are structure-dependent ( =category-based), provide a highly plausible model of language acquisition, in which languages become learnable in a relatively short, finite period of time (a few years)."
— 1988, Andrew Radford, Transformative Grammar: A First Course, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 64:
"Russian SPETSNAZ are irregular forces that operate covertly, providing the Russian government plausible deniability."
— 2014, “Little Green Men”: A Primer on Modern Russian Unconventional Warfare, Ukraine 2013–2014, Fort Bragg, North Carolina: The United States Army Special Operations Command, page 43:
"capable of receiving a plauſible Anſwer"
— 1693, John Hacket, Scrinia reserata: a Memorial offered to the great Deservings of John Williams:
"[…] a coachman named Richard, who was described as a "sensible, well-behaved yellow boy, who is plausible and can read and write.""
— 1955, William H. Townsend, Lincoln and the Bluegrass: Slavery and Civil War in Kentucky:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The detective found the suspect's alibi to be ____ because the timing matched.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The scientist offered a ____ explanation for the anomaly that satisfied most of the reviewers.