implausibly

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "implausibly" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is not believable or reasonable. For example, "That story is implausibly far-fetched."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A 5% target would "require implausibly rapid acceleration of effort beyond 2020", the authority says.

The Guardian

At precisely that moment, and with implausibly good timing, two window cleaners slowly dropped into view on the outside of the building.

The Guardian

Klose's Lazio team-mate Sergio Floccari showed no such qualms four months later, claiming, somewhat implausibly, to be unaware that he had handballed before scoring his team's opening goal against Atalanta.

The Guardian - Sport

(More implausibly, it also claims that its "precision" air strikes have killed precisely zero civilians).

The Economist

Officials in Baghdad cite a shortage of weapons, somewhat implausibly.

The Economist

The emissions forecasts based on those implausibly high growth rates are accordingly unsound.In this section In John Reed's hands False calm And the owner is?

The Economist

Mr Chubais was widely criticised for accepting an implausibly large sum of money for a proposed book on privatisation.

The Economist

He claims, implausibly, to have known nothing of his closest adviser's doings.

The Economist

My taxi driver claims, implausibly, never to have heard of Shaxi.

The Economist

He looked a lot better these last few years, after leaving the Kremlin, an improvement which he attributed somewhat implausibly to Chinese herbal medicine.

The Economist

Remarkably, he found that members of such unions trade three times as much with one another as do countries outside unions.To many economists, this effect looked implausibly large.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "implausibly" to express disbelief or doubt about a claim or situation, especially when emphasizing that something seems unlikely or unreasonable. For instance, "He claimed, implausibly, that he had never seen the document before."

Common error

While "implausibly" is widely accepted, avoid overusing it in highly formal or academic writing where more nuanced or precise language may be preferred. Consider alternatives like "incredibly" or "unbelievably" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Linguistic Context

Implausibly functions as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to express that an action, quality, or statement is difficult to believe or accept. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is used to cast doubt on the veracity or likelihood of something. Examples found through Ludwig show it often precedes the words it modifies, adding emphasis to the incredulity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "implausibly" is a grammatically sound adverb used to express disbelief or doubt. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it indicates something is difficult to believe or accept. Predominantly found in News & Media sources, it carries a neutral tone. When writing, be mindful of overusing it in highly formal contexts and explore alternatives like "incredibly" or "unbelievably" for better nuance. The examples provided demonstrate its versatile application across various situations where skepticism needs to be conveyed. You can confidently use "implausibly" to add a layer of doubt to statements that seem unlikely or unreasonable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in an unbelievable manner

Replaces "implausibly" with a more descriptive phrase, focusing on the lack of believability.

in a manner that strains credulity

A more formal and elaborate way of saying something is hard to believe.

in a dubious way

Highlights the doubtful nature of something, similar to "implausibly".

scarcely credible

Emphasizes the lack of credibility.

in a way that is difficult to swallow

Suggests that accepting something requires overcoming significant doubt or disbelief.

hard to believe

A simpler, more direct way of expressing the difficulty in accepting something as true.

difficult to credit

Focuses on the challenge of giving credence to something.

barely believable

Indicates that something is only just within the realm of possibility, but still doubtful.

dubiously

Similar to "questionably", but with a stronger sense of doubt.

questionably

Highlights the questionable aspect of something, suggesting doubt.

FAQs

How can I use "implausibly" in a sentence?

Use "implausibly" to modify a verb or adjective, indicating something is done or described in a way that is hard to believe. For instance, "The witness testified, "implausibly", that the car drove itself".

What are some alternatives to using "implausibly"?

You can use alternatives like "in an unbelievable manner", "hard to believe", or "scarcely credible" to convey a similar meaning depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to use "implausibly" in academic writing?

Yes, it is generally correct, but consider the tone and formality of your writing. In some cases, more precise language may be preferred. However, using ""implausibly"" is acceptable as long as it appropriately conveys your intended meaning.

What's the difference between "implausibly" and "improbably"?

"Implausibly" suggests something is difficult to believe, while "improbably" indicates something is unlikely to happen. While they can sometimes be used interchangeably, ""implausibly"" focuses more on believability, and "improbably" focuses on probability.