Plausible: seeming reasonable or believable
Plausible means seeming reasonable or believable, without being established as true. It comes from Latin plausibilis, originally meaning deserving applause. A delayed bus is a plausible explanation for a late arrival, but the explanation still needs evidence if you want to establish what actually happened.
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Believable is not verified
Plausible is an adjective for something that appears reasonable or credible. Its source is Latin plausibilis, meaning deserving applause, from plaudere, meaning to applaud.
A plausible explanation fits what is known well enough to be taken seriously. It has not necessarily been tested or confirmed. If someone arrives late during heavy traffic, a traffic delay is plausible, but other explanations may also fit.
Common combinations include:
- A plausible explanation.
- A plausible account.
- A plausible scenario.
Use the word to describe apparent credibility, then state the evidence separately. The claim sounded plausible and the claim was confirmed are different statements. A convincing story can still turn out to be inaccurate.