argue

[ ahr-gyoo ]

verb (used without object)

, ar·gued, ar·gu·ing.

1. to present reasons for or against a thing:

   He argued in favor of capital punishment.

2. to contend in oral disagreement; dispute:

   The senator argued with the president about the new tax bill.

verb (used with object)

, ar·gued, ar·gu·ing.

1. to state the reasons for or against:

   The lawyers argued the case.

2. to maintain in reasoning:

   to argue that the news report must be wrong.

3. to persuade, drive, etc., by reasoning:

   to argue someone out of a plan.

4. to show; prove; imply; indicate:

   His clothes argue poverty.

argue

/ ˈɑːɡjuː /

verb

1. intr to quarrel; wrangle

   they were always arguing until I arrived

2. intr; often foll by for or against to present supporting or opposing reasons or cases in a dispute; reason
3. tr; may take a clause as object to try to prove by presenting reasons; maintain
4. tr; often passive to debate or discuss

   the case was fully argued before agreement was reached

5. tr to persuade

   he argued me into going

6. tr to give evidence of; suggest

   her looks argue despair

Derived Forms

• ˈarguer, noun

Other Words From

• argu·er noun
• counter·argue verb counterargued counterarguing
• over·argue verb overargued overarguing
• re·argue verb reargued rearguing
• well-argued adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of argue¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French arguer, from Latin argūtāre, argūtārī “to babble, chatter,” frequentative of arguere “to prove, assert, accuse” (in Medieval Latin: “to argue, reason”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of argue¹

C14: from Old French arguer to assert, charge with, from Latin arguere to make clear, accuse; related to Latin argūtus clear, argentum silver

Example Sentences

They argue he should not have been charged again in 2020 after the charges had already been dropped by by Cook County State Attorney's Office in exchange for community service the year before.

From BBC

Serbia’s opposition parties have been quick to attack President Vucic and his Progressive Party government, arguing that nepotism and a culture of impunity are behind the canopy collapse.

From BBC

Speaking at a conservative conference last year, Gaetz had suggested that the justice department and the agencies it oversees, including the FBI, ought to be abolished, as he argued they were being weaponised against conservatives.

From BBC

Prosecutors argued that the killings were motivated by the boys’ desire to secure their $14-million inheritance.

From Los Angeles Times

Prior to the election, AHF unsuccessfully sued to take Proposition 34 off the ballot, arguing it was unconstitutional because it so singularly targets the organization.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• appeal
• assert
• claim
• contend
• defend
• demonstrate
• explain
• indicate
• maintain
• plead
• present
• suggest
• testify

When To Use

What are other ways to say argue?

To argue is to present reasons for or against a thing or to contend in oral disagreement. How does argue compare to discuss and debate? Find out on Thesaurus.com.