credibility
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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
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Believe It or Not: Cred
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Argumentative Writing, List 1
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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.
That voluntary framework, he said, has given the industry credibility with US lawmakers that social media platforms lack.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
He has framed his campaign around his lifetime of work in politics and his credibility working both in Congress in Washington DC and in California in state office.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
In addition, Mr. Clinton writes, Re-Imagineers often have “connections, credibility, experience, and the kind of relationships that can take years to cultivate.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
And it will preserve credibility for the most important index on the market, while keeping unwitting buyers from subsidizing a business that has not earned the right to their largesse.
From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026
Perhaps I could mock Tyler with more credibility if I had not remembered, as I did just now, that to this day I have never been immunized.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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.
