Definition
A plausible claim is one that sounds right: it fits what we know and could well be true. The word lives in the gap between 'possible' and 'proven' — a plausible explanation deserves consideration but still awaits evidence. It can also carry a warning when applied to people: a 'plausible salesman' is convincing in a way that invites suspicion. The Latin root plaudere, 'to applaud', survives in the idea of winning an audience over.
Examples
- She offered a plausible explanation for the missing files, and the manager accepted it.
- The theory is plausible, but so far the evidence for it is thin.
- It seems plausible that the unusually warm spring contributed to the early harvest.
Synonyms
credible · believable · reasonable · convincing · likely
In TOEFL & IELTS
Crucial test-taking vocabulary: TOEFL and IELTS questions ask which interpretation is 'most plausible', and reading passages weigh 'plausible hypotheses' against each other. In academic writing, 'a plausible explanation/account' lets you take a position with appropriate caution — far more idiomatic than 'maybe true'. Antonym worth knowing: implausible.