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

So for most bonds, the NAIC’s New York-based investment staff automatically assigns a risk score—and a corresponding capital requirement—based on the bond’s public credit rating.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Fitch Ratings upgraded CK Hutchison’s credit rating, viewing geopolitical risk as manageable and the Panama port issue as minimal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Both Fitch and S&P Global have assigned Paramount a BB+ issuer credit rating, also referred to as junk status.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

But as Blue Owl began syndicating the debt financing to institutional investors, some lenders declined to participate and cited CoreWeave’s credit rating as a key reason, Business Insider reported.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026

More prone to flooding—the first to take losses—they bear a lower credit rating: triple-B.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis