Cogent

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈkəʊd͡ʒn̩t/

Definitions

1. Compelling and logically strong enough to convince or persuade through clear reasoning and force of argument
2. Convincing and forceful in presentation, with clear relevance and intellectual power that demands serious consideration
3. Having an argument or explanation that is clear, logical, and effectively persuades others

Etymology: The word's original sense was physical rather than intellectual. Latin "cōgō" meant "drive together" or "compel," built from "cum" (together) and "agō" (drive), so an argument that was "cogent" once compelled assent much as a herd is driven into a pen. The Latin verb's present participle "cōgēns" passed into French as "cogent," and English took the adjective from there. Its earliest English sense was forceful and compelling, something that forced its way into the mind. The shift from force to clarity happened gradually. Over time a cogent argument came to be one that was so well built that a reasonable listener had no choice but to accept it, and the emphasis moved from the pressure applied to the quality of reasoning that produced agreement. Today the word refers to reasoning that is clear, persuasive and hard to resist, with the compulsion now located in the logic rather than in the speaker.

Synonyms: convincing, persuasive, compelling, clear, forceful

Antonyms: weak, ineffective, unconvincing