Seeming reasonable, likely, or believable, though not necessarily proven true.
“It seems plausible that reduced screen time could improve students' sleep patterns.”
“The critic offered a plausible explanation for the policy's unexpected side effects.”
In Reading Part 4, 'plausible' often describes an argument that sounds reasonable but hasn't been fully proven, a subtle distinction the questions like to test. Don't confuse a plausible claim with a proven fact when answering detail questions.
Synonyms: believable, reasonable, credible