credit rating

American  

noun

1. a classification of credit risk based on investigation of a customer's or potential customer's financial resources, prior payment pattern, and personal history or degree of personal responsibility for debts incurred.

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credit rating British  

noun

1. an evaluation of the creditworthiness of an individual or business enterprise

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credit rating Cultural  

1. An evaluation of the financial trustworthiness of an individual, firm, or government.

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Etymology

Origin of credit rating

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

credit rating

S&P Global issued a report last week that assigned SpaceX a “BBB” credit rating, the lowest possible rating to qualify as an investment grade credit risk.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

NextEra has estimated that it can keep growing earnings in that unit at a heady 12% pace through 2032 while maintaining its credit rating.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

The credit rating agency believes the risk has graduated from a cryptocurrency-specific problem to a broader threat affecting banks and custodians.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

Prime among those perks is a fixed interest rate; the interest rate on a private student loan can range from 2.99% to about 17.99%, based on your credit rating.

From MarketWatch ● May 15, 2026

I made Bryce twenty-two years old and gave him a brand-new Social Security number, an immaculate credit rating, and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline