plausible

Seemingly or apparently valid, likely, or acceptable; conceivably true or likely.

Adjective

Seemingly or apparently valid, likely, or acceptable; conceivably true or likely.
- a plausible excuse
- In short, the twin assumptions that syntactic rules are category-based, and that there are a highly restricted finite set of categories in any natural language (perhaps no more than a dozen major categories), together...
- Russian SPETSNAZ are irregular forces that operate covertly, providing the Russian government plausible deniability. - 2014, “Little Green Men”: A Primer on Modern Russian Unconventional Warfare, Ukraine 2013–2014, Fort...
Synonyms: credible believable reasonable tenable specious

Antonyms: implausible incredible unbelievable far-fetched
Obtaining approbation; specifically pleasing; apparently right; specious.
- a plausible pretext; plausible manners; a plausible delusion
Worthy of being applauded; praiseworthy; commendable; ready.
- capable of receiving a plauſible Anſwer - 1693, John Hacket, Scrinia reserata: a Memorial offered to the great Deservings of John Williams:
- […] a coachman named Richard, who was described as a "sensible, well-behaved yellow boy, who is plausible and can read and write." - 1955, William H. Townsend, Lincoln and the Bluegrass: Slavery and Civil War in...

From Latin plausibilis (“deserving applause, praiseworthy, acceptable, pleasing”), from the participle stem of plaudere (“to applaud”).