plausible
seeming reasonable or believable
Roots
- -able / -ible: able to be, fit to be, or worthy of
- plaud / plaus: clap, applaud, approve, or seem acceptable
Other words with the plaud / plaus root
- applaud: to clap or express approval
- applause: clapping or public approval
- implausible: not seeming reasonable or believable
- plaudit: praise or enthusiastic approval
- plausibility: quality of seeming reasonable or believable
Plausible once stands near approval: an idea acceptable enough to get a mental nod.
The explanation was plausible, but the data still needed checking.
Plausible is a caution word. It sounds positive, but on exams it often means merely believable on the surface. Something plausible deserves consideration, not blind trust.