Unplausibel

Unplausibel is a Dutch adjective that denotes something lacking plausibility or credibility. The term is not widely established in formal Dutch usage and is considered uncommon or nonstandard in many dictionaries. In more typical Dutch, people would use onwaarschijnlijk or ongeloofwaardig, while plausibel serves as the opposite of implausible.

Etymology and usage notes suggest that unplausibel is a rare or neologistic form formed by adding the English-style un- prefix to plausibel. This mirrors a pattern sometimes seen in contemporary Dutch where English-inspired compounds appear in informal speech, media, or online writing. Because of its unusual prefix, unplausibel can be perceived as stylistic or idiosyncratic rather than a mainstream alternative.

In practical terms, unplausibel appears mainly in contexts aiming to stress disbelief or skepticism about a claim. In formal writing, editors and style guides typically recommend onplausibel (the direct Dutch negation) or other standard terms such as onwaarschijnlijk or ongeloofwaardig. Example usage: "De uitleg klinkt unplausibel en vereist meer bewijs." In many settings, however, this sentence would more commonly be phrased with onplausibel or onwaarschijnlijk.

See also: plausibel, onwaarschijnlijk, implausibel, ongeloofwaardig, geloofwaardigheid.

Note: As a relatively uncommon form, unplausibel may appear in discussion of linguistic usage or as a stylistic choice, but it should be used with awareness of its nonstandard character in formal Dutch.