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argument definition

ar·gu·ment (är′gyo̵̅o̅ mənt, -gyə-)

noun

  1. Archaic proof or evidence
  2. a reason or reasons offered for or against something
  3. the offering of such reasons; reasoning
  4. a discussion in which there is disagreement; dispute; debate
  5. a short statement of subject matter, or a brief synopsis of a plot; summary
  6. Obsolete a topic; theme
  7. Math. independent variable

Etymology: ME < OFr or L: OFr < L argumentum, evidence, proof < arguere: see argue

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms argument idiom

law argument definition - legal

argument Synonyms

argument

n.

  1. An effort to convince

    discussion, exchange, contention; see discussion 1, 2.

  2. Material intended to convince

    case, reasoning, evidence, reasons; see proof 1, thought 1.

  3. Verbal disagreement

    debate, quarrel, row; see dispute. See syn. study atdispute.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

argument Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • construct: It also requires them to construct arguments in writing.

Preposition: against

  • functionalism: How is the scenario turned into an argument against functionalism?

Converse of subject

  • convince: The Senate of AAU was also convinced by this argument.

Adjective modifier

  • convincing: A convincing argument backed by a previously stated policy may limit escalation of a crisis.

Noun used with modifier

  • skeleton: Mr Dennys relied on certain passages in Hansard in his skeleton argument.

Possessives

  • appellant: In doing so we are assisted by the fact that the District Judge has provided us with comments on the appellant's skeleton argument.

Preposition: in

  • favor: So the arguments in favor of luxury were persuasive!
argument usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

argument quotes

Men of business have a solid judgment, a wonderful guessing power of what isgoing to happen, each in his own trade, but they have never practised themselves in reasoning out their judgments and in supporting their guesses byargument; probably if they did so, some of the finer and correcter parts of their anticipations would vanish.

-Bagehot,Walter

I'm not good at precise, coherent argument. But plays are suited to incoherent argument, put into the mouths of fallible people.

-Bennett, Alan

Mr Lloyd George spoke for17 minutes, in which period he was detected only once in the use of an argument.

-Bennett, (Enoch) Arnold

argument quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"argument." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/argument>

APA Style

argument. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/argument

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