cogent
Americanadjective
-
convincing or believable by virtue of forcible, clear, or incisive presentation; telling.
-
to the point; relevant; pertinent.
adjective
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Other Word Forms
- cogency noun
- cogently adverb
- noncogent adjective
- noncogently adverb
- uncogent adjective
- uncogently adverb
Etymology
Origin of cogent
1650–60; < Latin cōgent- (stem of cōgēns, present participle of cōgere to drive together, collect, compel), equivalent to cōg- ( co- co- + ag-, stem of agere to drive) + -ent- -ent
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For the reporters covering this president, it has, in a word, been impossible to pull a cogent quote from him.
From Salon
The admonitions in Geismer’s book, published three years ago, cogently apply to the present and future.
From Salon
But if that were the case, a cogent narrative could make that point just as well as the facts about Kerr that appear on screen at the end of the film.
From Salon
The kids in these videos are often cogent and persuasive, but their words don’t matter to the viewers.
From Salon
Career-related skills that all students need include “thinking critically, or being able to speak professionally or give a presentation, or being able to put together a cogent resume, or having basic technology skills,” Dabagyan said.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
