arguably

arguably — adverb

1. in a way that you could give good reasons for, even if other people might disagr

1.adverbC1
Definition

in a way that you could give good reasons for, even if other people might disagree — typically placed just before a strong claim, especially one using 'best', 'greatest', or 'more ... than'.

Example

Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest footballer of his generation.

arguably + superlative adjective

Tokyo's subway is arguably more efficient than any other system in the world.

arguably + comparative adjective

Common collocations
  • arguably the best
  • arguably the greatest
  • arguably the most important
  • arguably more X than Y
  • is arguably
Synonyms
  • possibly

    weaker — admits a chance, no built-in claim of having reasons

  • conceivably

    more abstract; suggests an idea is imaginable, not necessarily defensible

  • debatably

    near-synonym, but puts more weight on the disagreement than on your reasons

Antonyms
  • indisputably

    claims no reasonable person would disagree

  • undeniably

    treats the point as obvious and beyond argument

Grammar Patterns

arguably + comparative/superlative adjective

arguably + clause

Usage Note

Almost always pairs with a strong claim, especially a comparative (more/less) or superlative (best/worst/most). The speaker signals that they have reasons ready, while admitting the point is open to debate.

Common Mistakes

Arguably, the cat is on the mat.
The cat is on the mat.
'arguably' is for opinions you must defend, not for plain facts you can simply observe.
She is arguably tall.
She is arguably the tallest player on the team.
'arguably' usually needs a strong or extreme claim (often a superlative) to feel natural.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four words let a speaker make a claim without sounding absolutely certain, but they signal very different attitudes. 'Arguably' is the most assertive of the group: it says 'I have reasons ready, even if you disagree' and almost always sits before a strong claim, especially a superlative — 'arguably the best film of the year'. 'Possibly' is much weaker; it only admits that something might be true, with no claim of supporting reasons — 'possibly the best film' just floats the idea. 'Conceivably' is more abstract, used when an idea is at least imaginable — 'conceivably the best film' sounds like a thought experiment rather than a real opinion. 'Debatably' overlaps with 'arguably' but tilts toward the disagreement itself; 'debatably the best film' invites the listener to argue back, while 'arguably' invites them to be persuaded.

arguably ↗possibly ↗conceivablydebatably

Common collocations

Phrases

  • arguably the best
  • arguably the greatest
  • arguably the most important
  • arguably the worst
  • is arguably one of the
  • arguably more ... than

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Built in English from the verb 'argue' plus the adjective ending '-able' (giving 'arguable', meaning 'able to be argued for') and finally the adverb ending '-ly'. 'Argue' itself came into Middle English from Old French 'arguer', which traces back to Latin 'arguere' meaning 'to make clear, to prove'. So 'arguably' literally points to something that can be supported by argument — a meaning the modern adverb still carries.