credibility
Americannoun
-
credibilities
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of credibility
First recorded in 1570–80; from Late Latin crēdibilitās, equivalent to Latin crēdibili(s) credible ( def. ) + -tās -ty 2 ( def. )
Explanation
You have credibility when you seem totally trustworthy or believable. You lose it when you start lying, cheating and acting rather shady. Credibility is a noun that speaks to plausibility or believableness, so the star witness at your trial or the person writing your recommendation letter should certainly have it. Be careful though, because someone with credibility isn't necessarily telling the truth. As any con man or politician can tell you, credibility can easily come from nothing more than a confident smile.
Vocabulary lists containing credibility
Argumentative Writing
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Believe It or Not: Cred
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Argumentative Writing, List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
He’ll need to appear “credibly hawkish” on inflation to maintain credibility, yet also signal support for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s plan to buy back longer-term bonds, they said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026
Warsh will need, however, to strike a careful balance, and this speech at Jackson Hole represents an early test of his communication strategy and credibility, Pamphilon says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
“When attorneys are exploiting vulnerable people, including paying folks to file fraudulent claims, they’re not just breaking the law, they really undermine the credibility of the legal system and every attorney,” Zbur said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
"What markets are looking for is really a greater sense of transparency and credibility when it comes to policymaking," said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY-Parthenon.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
These two scandals coming together undermined the credibility of the government and strengthened our hand.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
So when bargaining with the sharks consider both the static and the dynamic game, and the value of their relative credibilities to them.
From Forbes ● Nov. 15, 2014
No matter who is winning whatever conflict is now going on on the Mongolian-Manchukuoan border, the credibilities of the world's newspaper readers are taking a terrific beating.
From Time Magazine Archive
Sallust would no doubt have put anything into Catiline's mouth which would suit his own purpose; but it was necessary for his purpose that he should confine himself to credibilities.
From The Life of Cicero Volume One by Anthony Trollope
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.
