credulity

[ kruh-doo-li-tee, -dyoo- ]

noun

1. willingness to believe or trust too readily, especially without proper or adequate evidence; gullibility.

credulity

/ krɪˈdjuːlɪtɪ /

noun

1. disposition to believe something on little evidence; gullibility

Other Words From

• over·cre·duli·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of credulity¹

1375–1425; late Middle English credulite < Latin crēdulitās. See credulous, -ity

Example Sentences

Because she’s the one who rear-ended him, rather than the other way around, it would strain credulity for him to be anything other than who he says he is.

From Vox

The district explained to us that the records were found in an abandoned file cabinet, in an abandoned office, stretching credulity.

From Voice of San Diego

It takes an awfully generous dose of credulity to think that this restriction is an unintended side effect of the proposed law.

From Washington Post

Her apologists say this all happened before she was running for office, but it stretches credulity to say that much changed over two years.

From Time

That strains credulity — even if you accept that judges may not pay as close attention to politics as the people reading and writing this piece.

From Washington Post

While obviously not as cartoonish as the deluded leaders in The Office, du Pont seemed to stretch credulity at times.

From The Daily Beast

It strains credulity to imagine that these contracts would have moved forward without the fear of Michelle waiting in the wings.

From The Daily Beast

His detective novels contain none of the twists that strain credulity so often relied upon by thriller novelists.

From The Daily Beast

But he operates in a mode as old as American letters—aw-shucks credulity mixed with an observant intelligence.

From The Daily Beast

Given his clear commitment to the settlement enterprise, such openness to a two-state solution defies credulity.

From The Daily Beast

This is the true principle of the credulity of nations, and of the authority of those who pretend to guide them.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus the advantage we might draw from all these motives for credulity, is found about the same in all sorts of religions.

From Project Gutenberg

What a pity, that credulity should injure the cause of true religion!

From Project Gutenberg

We find men of these characters in nations the most ignorant and savage, where they live by the ignorance and credulity of others.

From Project Gutenberg

And, thanks to her simple credulity, he had succeeded even more easily than he could have hoped.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• acceptance
• belief
• confidence
• conviction
• hope
• loyalty
• truth