implausible

IPA/ɪmˈplɔːzəbl/
KK[ˌɪmplˈɔzəbəl]IPA/ɪmˈplɔːzəbl/

implausible — adjective

  • implausiblepositive
  • more implausiblecomparative
  • most implausiblesuperlative

1. If a story, claim, or explanation is implausible, it sounds so unlikely or stran

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

If a story, claim, or explanation is implausible, it sounds so unlikely or strange that people find it hard to accept as true.

Example

Tamás gave an implausible excuse about a flat tyre, but his boss did not believe him.

predicative pattern: noun + be + implausible OR attributive: implausible + noun

The detective said the suspect's story sounded highly implausible.

common collocation: highly implausible / sound implausible

Common collocations
  • highly implausible
  • wildly implausible
  • sound implausible
  • seem implausible
  • implausible story
  • implausible excuse
  • implausible explanation
  • implausible plot
Synonyms
  • unconvincing

    near-synonym; focuses on failing to persuade rather than on being unlikely

  • far-fetched

    more informal; suggests the idea is wildly exaggerated

  • unlikely

    broader; covers any low-probability event, not only stories or claims

  • improbable

    more formal; emphasises low statistical chance

Antonyms
  • plausible

    direct opposite — believable on first hearing

  • convincing

    stronger positive — actively persuades the listener

  • credible

    more formal; worthy of being believed

Usage Note

Frequently modifies words for accounts: story, excuse, explanation, theory, plot, claim. Often intensified with 'highly' or 'wildly'. Distinguish from 'impossible': implausible things could happen but feel unconvincing; impossible things cannot happen at all.

Common Mistakes

The road was implausible to walk on.
The story was implausible.
implausible describes claims or accounts, not physical objects or actions.
I feel implausible today.
Her excuse sounded implausible.
people are not implausible; their statements or stories are.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something with a low chance of being true or happening, but they differ in scope and register. 'Unlikely' is the most general and neutral; it covers any event with low probability, from weather to outcomes ('unlikely to rain', 'unlikely winner'). 'Improbable' is more formal and emphasises statistical or logical odds — common in academic or scientific writing. 'Implausible' focuses specifically on stories, claims, and explanations that fail to convince a listener, not on events themselves; you would say a suspect's alibi is implausible, not the weather. 'Far-fetched' is informal and stronger, suggesting the idea is wildly exaggerated or absurd — often used for fiction or conspiracy theories. For example, a coin landing heads ten times is improbable; a witness's story full of unrelated coincidences is implausible; a plot where aliens save the prime minister is far-fetched.

implausible ↗unlikely ↗improbable ↗far-fetched ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • sound implausible
  • seem implausible
  • find something implausible

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in the early 17th century from the prefix 'im-' meaning 'not' added to 'plausible', which entered English from Latin 'plausibilis' meaning 'deserving applause' or 'pleasing'. The Latin root traces back to 'plaudere' (to clap or applaud). Originally 'plausible' meant 'worthy of approval', and over time the word came to describe arguments that seemed convincing enough to win acceptance. 'Implausible' therefore literally means 'not worthy of applause or acceptance' — that is, unconvincing.