Memory connection
Picture “cogs, gent”
A speaker arranges his points like interlocking cogs. Each one moves the next, and the audience can follow the complete mechanism.
The sound cue helps you reach the scene; the action in the scene carries you from the scene to the definition.
Use it accurately
Meaning in context
She offered a cogent explanation for changing the project’s scope.
The report makes a cogent case for restoring the wetlands.
Cogent describes reasoning, explanations, cases, and arguments—not simply a confident speaker. It combines clarity with persuasive logical force.
Common patterns
- a cogent argument
- cogent reasons
- clear and cogent
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Where the word comes from
Cogent comes through French from Latin cogere, “to compel” or literally “to drive together.” A cogent case pulls its reasons together so effectively that it compels agreement.
Register and usage
Cogent is an approving, somewhat formal adjective for reasoning that is clear and convincing. It most often modifies argument, reason, explanation, analysis, or evidence rather than a person.
Word family
- cogency (noun)
- cogently (adverb)
References for further checking
These links provide fuller dictionary and word-history entries. MnemoWords writes its own learner explanation rather than reproducing their definitions.
Quick check
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What makes an explanation cogent?
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