credibility
kred-uh-BIL-ih-tee
/ˌkred.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/
The quality of being trusted and believed in.
Often associated with professional reputation, scientific evidence, or journalistic integrity.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'credibilis' (worthy of belief), from 'credere' (to believe). It entered English in the late Middle Ages to describe things that were plausible or trustworthy.
Word relationships
- trustworthiness: Trustworthiness is a moral character trait, while credibility is the external perception of how believable someone or something is.
- reliability: Reliability focuses on consistent performance over time, whereas credibility focuses on the believability of information or claims.
- implausibility: Implausibility is the quality of being unlikely or difficult to believe.
- unreliability: Unreliability is the quality of not being able to be trusted or depended on.
Commonly confused with
- credulity: Credibility is the quality of being believable, while credulity is a person's willingness to believe things too easily (gullibility).
Word family
- credible (adjective): Able to be believed; convincing.
- credibly (adverb): In a way that can be believed; convincingly.
Collocations
- establish credibility
- lose credibility
- street credibility
Idioms & expressions
- on the level
Example sentences
- "The defense attorney successfully damaged the witness's credibility by proving she had lied in the past." Discussing a witness in a trial.
- "A leader's credibility is built on transparency and consistent action." From a business leadership article.
Memory hook
Think of a 'CREDIT card'—it gives you financial 'credibility' because banks believe you will pay them back. CRED-ibility: A CREDIT card proves your financial CRED-ibility.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'credentials' (the physical proof of qualification) or 'credulity' (gullibility).
Fun facts
- In modern slang, 'street cred' (short for street credibility) refers to a person's acceptability and popularity among fashionable urban youth.
Related words
Explore more words
discredit, attribution, investigative, authority, integrity, endorse
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