plausible

Definitions

plaus (from Latin plaudere, to clap) + -ible (worthy of) = 'worthy of applause.' Originally an argument so well made the audience would clap. Over time it weakened from 'praiseworthy' to merely 'sounding convincing,' picking up a faint shadow of doubt — a plausible story sounds right but might not be true.

Why It Means This

The faint negative undertone is the whole point. Because plausible only means 'sounds believable' (not 'is true'), it is often used when the speaker isn't fully convinced: 'a plausible explanation' can quietly hint 'and possibly a lie.' That is the residue of its journey from 'deserving applause' to 'merely sounding good.'

Common Collocations

• 1.a plausible explanation貌似合理的解释
• 2.plausible deniability合理推诿（可推卸责任的余地）
• 3.sound plausible听起来合理
• 4.highly plausible极为可信
• 5.a plausible excuse貌似说得通的借口

Example Sentences

• 1.

  She gave a plausible explanation for why she was late.

• 2.

  It's plausible that the two events are connected, but we need proof.

• 3.

  He was a plausible liar who could fool almost anyone.

Easily Confused

plausible vs credible — credible means genuinely worthy of belief (a credible witness, credible evidence). plausible only means it sounds believable, often with a hint that it might not be. A plausible story can still be a lie; a credible source usually isn't.