Clear, logical, and convincing; presented in a way that is easy to accept as true.
“The professor made a cogent case for revising the outdated safety regulations.”
“Her cogent argument addressed every objection raised by the opposing panel.”
'Cogent' is a more advanced word for a well-reasoned argument, and seeing it in a Reading Part 4 passage usually signals the author is praising one side's logic specifically. This can help you identify the stronger viewpoint when a question asks you to compare the two arguments.
Synonyms: logical, convincing, well-reasoned