argued

Argued is the past tense and past participle of the verb argue. It means to present reasons for or against something; to dispute or debate; or, in formal contexts, to advance a case.

As a transitive verb, argued often takes a direct object or a clause: "She argued the policy would fail" or "She argued that the policy would fail." It can also be intransitive with a prepositional phrase: "They argued about the best approach" or "They argued over the plan." The term can indicate both a reasoned defense and a heated disagreement, depending on context.

Etymology traces argued to Latin arguare, meaning to make clear or prove, via Old French arguer, and into English in the Middle English period. The related noun is argument, while adjectives include argumentative and arguably.

Related terms and usage notes: arguable denotes something that can be argued convincingly; arguably introduces a claim that may be open to debate. In legal or formal writing, argue often means to present or contend a motion or case, as in "to argue a motion" or "to argue a point." In everyday language, it frequently describes a quarrel or disagreement, though the emphasis can be on reasoning rather than hostility.