reputation

[rep-yuh-tey-shuhn]

noun

1. the estimation in which a person or thing is held, especially by the community or the public generally; repute.

   a man of good reputation.

   Synonyms: name, regard

2. favorable repute; good name.

   to ruin one's reputation by misconduct.

   Synonyms: recognition, honor, esteem, renown, distinction, fame
   Antonyms: disrepute

3. a favorable and publicly recognized name or standing for merit, achievement, reliability, etc..

   to build up a reputation.

4. the estimation or name of being, having, having done, etc., something specified.

   He has the reputation of being a shrewd businessman.

reputation

/ ˌrɛpjʊˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the estimation in which a person or thing is generally held; opinion

2. a high opinion generally held about a person or thing; esteem

3. notoriety or fame, esp for some specified characteristic

4. to be known or notorious, esp for promiscuity, excessive drinking, or the like

Other Word Forms

• reputational adjective
• self-reputation noun
• reputationless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reputation¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English reputacioun, from Latin reputātiōn-, stem of reputātiō “computation, consideration,” from reputāt(us) “computed, considered” (past participle of reputāre “to compute, consider”; repute ) + -iō -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of reputation¹

C14: from Latin reputātiō a reckoning, from reputāre to calculate, meditate; see _repute

Synonym Study

Reputation, character are often confused. Reputation, however, is the word which refers to the position one occupies or the standing that one has in the opinion of others, in respect to attainments, integrity, and the like: a fine reputation; a reputation for honesty. Character is the combination of moral and other traits which make one the kind of person one actually is (as contrasted with what others think of one): Honesty is an outstanding trait of his character. See credit.

Example Sentences

A communal destination since 2020, the shop has earned a reputation for specializing in notebooks, stickers and pens from Japan.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, the women said, they are keenly aware that their beloved city has a negative reputation nationally.

From Los Angeles Times

Margarine has had a bad reputation for years and many of us believe we should steer clear of it.

From BBC

Two weeks later, she made an even more exciting discovery — the one that would establish her reputation.

From Los Angeles Times

ANL's lawyers have staunchly denied the allegations, previously calling the case "without foundation" and an "affront" to hard-working journalists whose reputations had been disparaged.

From BBC

Related Words

• character 
• fame 
• honor 
• influence 
• name 
• notoriety 
• opinion 
• position 
• prestige 
• prominence 
• standing 
• stature 

When To Use

What does reputation mean?

A reputation is the opinion people or a wider community have of a person, group of people, company, or similar, as in The restaurant had a reputation for slow service but excellent food.A reputation is also someone’s favorable standing in the community, as in Stella protected her business’s reputation by always giving excellent customer service.A reputation also means being known for something. In this sense, you can have a good reputation or a bad one, as in Hanging around with violent gangs will get you a reputation.Note that reputation is different from character. Your reputation is what other people think of you, while your character is your internal qualities. A reputation is often about perception, which means it’s not always factual. Knowing where a reputation comes from can help you determine if it’s deserved or not.Example: The university had a reputation for turning out influential artists.