plausible
UK: ˈplɔːzəbl | US: ˈplɔːzəbl
adj. seemingly reasonable or credible (but not necessarily true)
adj. superficially fair or valid
The word "plausible" originates from the Latin plausibilis, meaning "deserving applause" (from plaudere, "to applaud"). Over time, its meaning shifted from "worthy of approval" to "superficially convincing," reflecting how something that appears agreeable might not always be genuine. The morpheme plaus retains its connection to approval, while ible (a variant of able) indicates capability, together forming "capable of being applauded"—hence, seemingly credible.
His explanation sounded plausible, but further evidence proved it false.
The theory is plausible but lacks experimental support.
She gave a plausible excuse for being late.
The detective found the suspect’s alibi barely plausible.
A plausible argument can still be misleading.