Meaning & use
cogently
Last updated
Meaning
adverbformal
In a way that is clear, logical, and convincing.
Grammar: An adverb, so it usually follows a verb: she argued cogently. It can also come before an adjective: a cogently written report.
Patterns
- argue something cogently
- speak/write cogently
- cogently argued/written
She argued cogently that the new policy would cost more than it saved.
The lawyer presented the case cogently, and the jury listened closely.
His ideas are cogently expressed in a short, readable book.
Common combinations
- argue cogently
- He argued cogently for a change in the rules.
- cogently argued
- The paper is a cogently argued defense of the plan.
- write cogently
- Good students learn to write cogently under time pressure.
- present something cogently
- She presented the data cogently to the board.
Synonyms and how they differ
- convincingly
- Focuses on making people believe you; cogently adds the idea of clear, tight reasoning.
- logically
- Emphasizes step-by-step reasoning but says nothing about whether the result persuades anyone.
- clearly
- A plainer, more everyday word for being easy to understand; it lacks the sense of being persuasive.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: cogently or urgently?
cogently vs urgently
These sound somewhat alike but mean different things: urgently means 'in a way that needs quick action', while cogently means 'in a clear and convincing way'.
Practice
Choose the sentence that uses 'cogently' correctly.
Choose one answer.
Cogently means the argument is clear and convincing, so it fits a claim that supports action. Option 2 states a plain fact that needs no argument, and options 3 and 4 are ungrammatical patterns after 'argue'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cogently”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.