credible
Americanadjective
-
capable of being believed; believable.
a credible statement.
- Synonyms:
- tenable, reasonable, likely, plausible
-
worthy of belief or confidence; trustworthy.
a credible witness.
adjective
-
capable of being believed
-
trustworthy or reliable
the latest claim is the only one to involve a credible witness
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of credible
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin crēdibilis, from crēd(ere) “to believe, confide, entrust” + -ibilis -ible
Compare meaning
How does credible compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Someone who's credible is honest and believable. A pathological liar, for example, might not be the most credible witness for your case against the bank robber. Similar to words like reliable and plausible, credible is an adjective that comes to us from the Latin credibilis, meaning “worthy to be believed.” A credible reputation is often earned through consistent good behavior and an overall trustworthy personality. Spill a secret you promised to keep, or lie under oath in a courtroom, and you lose all credibility.
Vocabulary lists containing credible
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Believe It or Not: Cred
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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.
Credible mass market service and consumer AI robots are years away.
From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026
Credible data from Information International—a Beirut-based consultancy group—suggests Hezbollah attracted 690,000 to 900,000 attendees to Hassan Nasrallah’s funeral in February, followed by sweeping the country’s municipal elections in May.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025
Credible evidence showed that it was preparing to do the same on April 18 in the Northern District of Texas.
From Slate • May 16, 2025
"Credible sources have reported more than 400 killed," said Ms Shamdasani.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2025
Credible or not, I want to hear it.”
From Kastle Krags A Story of Mystery by Martin, Absalom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
