ENGLISH
REFERENCE

argued

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈɑɹɡjud// UK //ˈɑːɡjuːd// ar·gued

v. gave reasons to show that something is true or right. You use this when you want to convince someone of your opinion.

v. presented reasons or evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others. Often used in academic writing to introduce a researcher's thesis or position.


SIMPLE

She argued that the new law would help small businesses.

CONTEXTUAL

The lawyer argued that his client was innocent because there was no physical evidence at the scene.

COMPLEX

The philosopher argued that morality is not a fixed set of rules but rather a fluid social contract that evolves alongside human empathy and technological progress.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive when followed by a 'that' clause or an object; it is intransitive when describing the act of disagreeing.

Pitfall

they argued about to gothey argued about goingWhen followed by a preposition like 'about', use the gerund (-ing) form of the verb rather than the infinitive.

© 2026 English Reference