credit score

American  

[kred-it skawr] / ˈkrɛd ɪt ˌskɔr /

noun

Personal Finance.

1. a numerical ranking of an individual’s financial creditworthiness based on spending and credit history, indicating to potential lenders and credit card issuers the individual’s capacity and likelihood to make timely payments of amounts due on loans or credit cards.

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Etymology

Origin of credit score

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

This can be an especially tough situation if you need a car ASAP, because it’s impossible to increase your credit score 100 points overnight.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

One reader said they paid $60,000 for a car worth $20,000 due to their low credit score.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Others have simply cancelled the direct debit with their bank, but this can impact your credit score – and it doesn't cancel your contract with the company.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

If oil prices remain high, consumers in the medium term will likely accelerate spending, said Silvio Tavares, chief executive at credit score company VantageScore.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

The player winning the first stroke gets a credit score of 15; for the second he gets 30; for the third 40, and if he wins the fourth he has the game.

From Entertainments for Home, Church and School by Seeger, Frederica