もっともらしい

• Reading: もっともらしい
• Romaji: mottomorashii
• Pronunciation: /mo̞.t.to̞.mo̞.ɾa.ɕi.i/

Meaning

Plausible; specious; seemingly reasonable; having the appearance of being correct.

An i-adjective formed from もっとも (mottomo — reasonable, natural, proper) + らしい (rashii — seeming, appearing to be). The key nuance is that something もっともらしい appears plausible but may not actually be true or well-founded. A もっともらしい言い訳 is an excuse that sounds reasonable but is probably fabricated. A もっともらしい理論 is a theory that sounds convincing but deserves scrutiny. Carries a mildly sceptical undertone.

Examples

1. もっともらしい理由をつけて、彼は毎回締め切りを延ばそうとする。 He always tries to push back deadlines by attaching some plausible-sounding reason.
2. 専門家らしい口ぶりだったが、内容をよく聞くともっともらしいだけで根拠がなかった。 He spoke like an expert, but when you listened carefully the content was merely plausible-sounding with no real basis.
3. もっともらしく聞こえる話ほど、慎重に事実確認する必要がある。 The more convincing a story sounds, the more carefully you need to verify the facts.

Usage Guide

Context: arguments, excuses, analysis, critical thinking

Tone: sceptical, evaluative

Origin & History

From もっとも (mottomo — reasonable, proper, correct) + らしい (rashii — appearing to be, seeming like). The らしい suffix introduces the element of mere appearance rather than substance.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adult

Social background: General