credibility

American  

[kred-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌkrɛd əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

Sometimes credibleness

noun

1. the quality of being believable or worthy of trust.

   After all those lies, his credibility was at a low ebb.

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credibility British  

/ ˌkrɛdɪˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being believed or trusted

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Other Word Forms

• noncredibility noun

Etymology

Origin of credibility

First recorded in 1570–80; from Late Latin crēdibilitās, equivalent to Latin crēdibili(s) credible ( def. ) + -tās -ty ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Keeping one’s word is crucial to maintaining credibility.

From The Wall Street Journal

Considering the U.S.’s economic credibility is at stake, the reaction looks relatively muted.

From Barron's

Ethical or not, the strategy can be effective for lending credibility to a particular viewpoint.

From Los Angeles Times

“I lost everything. My house, my wife, my credibility, my career,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 2008.

From MarketWatch

Banking lobby groups, however, have argued that granting trust charters could heighten systemic risk and undermine the credibility of the charter itself.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chance
• integrity
• prospect
• reliability
• soundness
• trustworthiness
• validity