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Synonyms

accredit

American  
[uh-kred-it] / əˈkrɛd ɪt /

verb (used with object)

  1. to provide or send with credentials; designate officially.

    to accredit an envoy.

  2. to certify (a school, college, or the like) as meeting all formal official requirements of academic excellence, curriculum, facilities, etc.

  3. to make authoritative, creditable, or reputable; sanction.

  4. to regard as true; believe.

  5. to ascribe or attribute to (usually followed bywith ).

    He was accredited with having said it.

  6. to attribute or ascribe; consider as belonging.

    an invention accredited to Edison.


accredit British  
/ əˈkrɛdɪt /

verb

  1. to ascribe or attribute

  2. to give official recognition to; sanction; authorize

  3. to certify or guarantee as meeting required standards

    1. to furnish or send (an envoy, etc) with official credentials

    2. to appoint (someone) as an envoy, etc

  4. to pass (a candidate) for university entrance on school recommendation without external examination

    there are six accrediting schools in the area

"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

  • accreditable adjective
  • accreditation noun
  • preaccredit verb (used with object)
  • reaccredit verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of accredit

First recorded in 1610–20; earlier acredit, from Middle French acrediter; ac-, credit

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.

Last year, Florida and five other states established the Commission for Public Higher Education to accredit their public university systems.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

Vienna has so far refused to accredit Taliban-appointed diplomats, although the Austrian government has held direct talks with Taliban authorities over deportations this year.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

But scores more accredit Piker for either their radicalization or their de-radicalization.

From Slate • Feb. 18, 2025

This was the first national election where an electronic device had been used to accredit voters.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2023

You know how long and how sedulously I have laboured to get the Emperor Nicholas to accredit an ambassador from Russia to Belgium.

From Punch - Volume 25 (Jul-Dec 1853) by Various