plausible
PLAW-zuh-buladjMeaning seeming reasonable or likely
Memory hook PLAUS-ible: worth a little APPLAUSE. Zoe says she is late because the bus broke down, and there it sits, steaming at the corner. Her excuse earns a nod and a clap: it is plausible.
Zoe’s excuse was plausible: the bus really had broken down that morning.
In context The detective’s theory was plausible, since it explained both the muddy boots and the open window, but she still needed proof before she could be sure.
Similar believable, reasonable, credible, likely
Opposite implausible, unlikely, far-fetched
From Latin plausibilis, “deserving applause,” from plaudere, “to applaud.”