3 syllables: Plaus, i, ble. Stress on Plaus.
PLAW-zuh-buhl
/ˈplɔzəbəl/
Plausible is pronounced PLAW-zuh-buhl (/ˈplɔzəbəl/). It has three syllables (Plaus-i-ble), with the stress on "Plaus". Plausible is an adjective describing something seemingly fair, credible, or likely, though not guaranteed. It refers to an idea or explanation that appears convincing on the surface, often evaluated as plausible but not proven. In use, it signals reasonable possibility rather than certainty.
adjectivePlausible is an adjective describing something seemingly fair, credible, or likely, though not guaranteed. It refers to an idea or explanation that appears convincing on the surface, often evaluated as plausible but not proven. In use, it signals reasonable possibility rather than certainty.
How to Pronounce Plausible
"The theory offered a plausible explanation for the phenomenon, though further evidence was still required."
"Her story seemed plausible, but investigators soon uncovered inconsistencies."
"The candidate presented a plausible plan to reduce costs without sacrificing quality."
Pronounced PLAU-si-bəl, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈplɔː.zə.bəl/; UK /ˈplɔː.zɪ.bəl/; AU /ˈplɔː.zə.bəl/. Start with /pl/ then a long open back vowel /ɔː/ as in 'law', followed by a light /z/ and a schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, ending with /bəl/. Visualize: PLAU-zih-bul.
Common mistakes include mispronouncing the second syllable as /ɪ/ instead of /ə/ (Plaus-ih-bəl) and misplacing stress or turning /ˈplɔː/ into a shorter /plɔ/ in fast speech. Another error is reducing the final /əl/ to a simple /l/ or /əl/ without the schwa-like quality. Correction: keep the second syllable unstressed with a soft /ə/ (zə) and finalize with a clear /bəl/ rather than a heavy /bəl/ or /bl/. Practice the full three-syllable flow: PLAU-zə-bəl.
In US English, /ˈplɔː.zə.bəl/ with a rhotic, broader /ɔː/ and a clear /z/ followed by /ə/. UK English often has /ˈplɔː.zɪ.bəl/ with a shorter second vowel and a more precise /ɪ/ in the second syllable; some speakers reduce /ɪ/ to a near-schwa. Australian English tends to maintain /ˈplɔː.zə.bəl/ but with a more centralized /ə/ and less rhoticity in some regions, yielding a slightly less pronounced rhotic quality. In all accents, the stress remains on the first syllable; the final /əl/ has a light, non-emphasized ending.
The difficulty centers on balancing the three syllables with exact vowel qualities: a long 'plaw' (/ˈplɔː/) followed by a reduced unstressed /ə/ in the middle (/zə/ or /zɪ/ depending on accent) and a final /bəl/ with a soft, rounded o and a clear /l/. Some speakers over-aspirate the /z/ or overly emphasize the final syllable. Mastery involves keeping the middle syllable light and ensuring the final /əl/ is neither syllabic nor swallowed. Practice slow, then speed up, emphasizing the three distinct phonemes: PLAU, zə, bəl.
The suffix -ible includes two sounds that can trip learners: the /ɪ/ or /ə/ quality in the middle syllable and the final /bəl/. Unlike clearly enunciated -ible in some words, plausible often reduces /ɪ/ to a near-schwa /ə/ in rapid speech, making the transition from /z/ to /b/ cross-syllabic but smooth. The key is to maintain a light /zə/ and then an audible /bəl/ ending without adding extra vowel length to the final syllable.
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Plausible comes from the Latin word plausibilis, meaning 'to applaud, approve, or seem fit.' This derives from plaudere, meaning 'to clap, applaud.' In late Latin, plausibilis described something worthy of applause or approval and persuadable. The word entered English via Old French plausable or plausable, retaining the sense of something that can be applauded or accepted as reasonable. By the 16th century, plausible began to mean 'seemingly reasonable or probable' rather than absolutely proven. Through the centuries, the core semantic shift was from an external appearance of legitimacy (something that would be applauded) to a judgment about likelihood in argumentation and explanation. The progressive narrowing of meaning frames plausible as a credible but not certain claim, often used in academic, legal, and everyday reasoning to signal caution about conclusions. First known use in English traces back to the 16th century, aligning with the broader adoption of Latin-derived terms during the Renaissance when classical rhetoric terms became common in scholarly English. Today, plausible remains a staple in evaluative language, balancing skepticism with reasonable inference.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Plausible" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Plausible" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Plausible"
-ble sounds
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