this sounds plausible

USAGE SUMMARY

"this sounds plausible" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express a judgment that something seems reasonable. For example, "Your explanation of why the machines broke down sounds plausible."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

This sounds plausible.

The Economist

This sounds plausible, but the oil market is an incredibly cloudy crystal ball.

The New Yorker

This sounds plausible, though to my knowledge the experiment has not yet been viscometer-tested.

The New York Times

For that, they are much more comfortable using a home computer.Instinctively, this sounds plausible to me.

The Economist

This sounds plausible to many people, because it's roughly speaking what happened to Greece.

The New York Times

This sounds plausible enough coming from a Medal of Honor recipient who spent the better part of two decades in public office.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

This sounded plausible.

The New York Times - Magazine

You can ask him to tell her, 'Hey, Michelle doesn't have experience but she did this for me and knows this and I think she would be a great hire.' " This sounded plausible, if I were the sort of person who could ask a former boss — or anyone I'd ever met— for that kind of favor without dropping dead of embarrassment.

The New York Times

This often harms children's interests, he says, and that sounds plausible.

The Economist

Not entirely sure how it works, but that sounds plausible.

Vice

This argument sounds plausible, if only because capitalist rhetoric so often stresses the need to destroy the other guy and the virtues of what "Chainsaw Al" Dunlap liked to call "mean business".

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "this sounds plausible" when you want to express that an idea, explanation, or argument seems reasonable and believable, but without necessarily implying complete certainty. It's suitable for situations where you need to acknowledge the possibility of something being true based on the available information.

Common error

Avoid using "this sounds plausible" when you have concrete evidence or proof. The phrase implies a degree of uncertainty, so if you're confident in the truth of something, use stronger affirmations like "this is certainly true" or "this is confirmed".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of the phrase "this sounds plausible" is to serve as a comment clause or epistemic marker. It expresses the speaker's assessment of the believability or reasonableness of a statement or idea. Ludwig AI's analysis indicates that it's used to convey a judgment about plausibility based on available information.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "this sounds plausible" is an expression used to convey that something appears reasonable or believable, though not necessarily certain. Ludwig AI affirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. While its frequency is categorized as uncommon, it finds application across various contexts, notably in news, media, and scientific discourse. It's important to note that 'plausible' suggests likelihood rather than established fact, which can be understood from the authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Economist. When writing, use "this sounds plausible" when you want to express conditional acceptance rather than absolute conviction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that's believable

Directly states that something is easy to believe.

that seems likely

Emphasizes the probability of something being true or happening.

that seems credible

Highlights the believability and trustworthiness of something.

that appears reasonable

Focuses on the logical aspect and acceptability of something.

that sounds legitimate

Emphasizes the lawfulness or authenticity of something.

that rings true

Suggests that something resonates with personal experience or intuition.

that checks out

Indicates that something has been verified and found to be accurate.

that holds water

Implies that something can withstand scrutiny and is logically sound.

that's a distinct possibility

Emphasizes that something is not only possible but also worth considering.

that's quite possible

Indicates a high degree of possibility or likelihood.

FAQs

How can I use "this sounds plausible" in a sentence?

Use "this sounds plausible" when you want to indicate that something seems reasonable or believable based on the available information. For example, "The explanation for the error sounds plausible".

What are some alternatives to "this sounds plausible"?

You can use alternatives like "that seems likely", "that appears reasonable", or "that seems credible" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "this sounds plausible" in formal writing?

Yes, "this sounds plausible" is appropriate for formal writing, particularly when assessing the validity of arguments or explanations. It conveys a sense of reasoned evaluation without absolute certainty.

What is the difference between "this sounds plausible" and "this sounds convincing"?

"This sounds plausible" suggests that something seems reasonable and likely, while "this sounds convincing" suggests that something is persuasive and able to make someone believe it. Plausibility focuses on inherent likelihood, while convincingness focuses on persuasive power.