credibility
Americannoun
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
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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.
See Examples For:
That kind of credibility has become increasingly rare, and increasingly unwelcome, in Xi’s China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
"It'll destroy its credibility and make itself even more vulnerable to these unfair attacks from the United States."
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
“That further underscores the complete lack of credibility behind these accusations,” McCathern said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Ultimately, they agreed to disclose the results in a bid to gain credibility with investors for transparency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Washington simply did not have control of the government and was inadvertently lending credibility to the treacheries being hatched all around him.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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 Trollope, Anthony
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.
