Question

Difficulty: EasySynonyms and Words Nearest in Meaning

The defense lawyer presented a plausible explanation for his client's absence from the crime scene. Which of the following options is nearest in meaning to the underlined word?

  1. believableAnswer
  2. B
    unbelievable
  3. C
    complicated
  4. D
    legal

Answer

The word nearest in meaning to 'plausible' in this sentence is 'believable'.
The term 'plausible' refers to something that is reasonable, likely, or credible. In the given sentence, a 'plausible explanation' means a believable explanation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the underlined word in its sentence context.
The word 'plausible' modifies 'explanation', describing an account that makes sense or can be accepted as true.
Context dictates whether a word denotes credibility, probability, or another nuance.
2
Evaluate the option choices to find the closest synonym.
'Believable' directly matches the meaning of 'plausible' as reasonable and convincing.
Synonyms must express the same or nearly the same core meaning in the target context.

Key Concept

Identifying contextual synonyms
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