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Synonyms

credence

American  
[kreed-ns] / ˈkrid ns /

noun

  1. belief as to the truth of something.

    to give credence to a claim.

    Synonyms:
    confidence, faith, credit
  2. something giving a claim to belief or confidence.

    letter of credence.

  3. Also called credenza.  Also called credence table,Ecclesiastical. a small side table, shelf, or niche for holding articles used in the Eucharist service.

  4. Furniture. credenza.


credence British  
/ ˈkriːdəns /

noun

  1. acceptance or belief, esp with regard to the truth of the evidence of others

    I cannot give credence to his account

  2. something supporting a claim to belief; recommendation; credential (esp in the phrase letters of credence )

  3. short for credence table

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of credence

1300–50; Middle English < Middle French credence < Medieval Latin crēdentia. See credent, -ence

Explanation

Credence means truthfulness, or believability. A video of a funnel cloud entering Central Park would give credence to rumors of a tornado in Manhattan. Generally, credence is given to an idea or topic by something else. You'll see it often coming after words like lend, give, and impart. When something is given credence, it is made more believable. But it can also be used like this: Mary talked a lot about the poltergeist in her house. To most, her story had little credence, but I like a good ghost story, and so, decided to believe.

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Vocabulary lists containing credence

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After this song was a hit for Credence Clearwater Revival in 1969, Ike and Tina transformed their unhurried country-rock vibe into an explosive and epic funk ode to freedom.

From BBC • May 24, 2023

Production featurette highlights include breakdowns of the Bhutan Battle, a duel between Credence and Albus, the Erkstag jailbreak and an introduction to some of the fantastic beasts.

From Washington Times • Jul. 17, 2022

In addition to his role in "Justice League," Miller is known for his role as Credence Barebone/Aurelius Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" spin-off series "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

From Fox News • Mar. 29, 2022

Credence is given to those with native roots, like Moniz.

From New York Times • May 17, 2021

This man, as I said, was made governor of the town in general, especially over the castle, and Captain Credence was to help him there. 

From Bunyan Characters (3rd Series) by Whyte, Alexander

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