Word of the Day

: July 16, 2023

cogent

adjective KOH-junt

What It Means

Cogent is a formal word that describes something that is very clear and easy for the mind to accept and believe, in other words “convincing.”

// At the town meeting, citizens presented many cogent arguments in support of building a new senior center.

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cogent in Context

“Though Kraftwerk: Future Music from Germany is not a go-to resource or final word on the subject, it doesn’t really aim to be. Rather, it’s a cogent and crisp reevaluation of one of the most important pop groups of the century, an erudite closeup on the group’s aims, history, and substantial cultural impact.” — James Toth, AquariumDrunkard.com, 6 Mar. 2023

Did You Know?

A cogent argument is one that really drives its point home because it is clear, coherent, and readily understandable, and perhaps also because of the etymological history of cogent. Cogent comes from the Latin verb cogere, meaning “to drive or force together.” Something described as cogent fuses thoughts and ideas into a meaningful whole that others can readily grasp and accept. A cogent explanation is a convincing one, and cogent analysis has us nodding along because it is clear and pertinent. Cogere was formed in Latin by combining the prefix co- with the verb agere, “to drive, lead, or act,” a root which is also the source of our familiar noun agent. Handily enough, one definition of agent is “a means or instrument by which a guiding intelligence achieves a result.” It follows logically then that cogency is often a worthwhile agent, indeed.