credit score

American

[kred-it skawr] / ˈkrɛd ɪt ˌskɔr /

noun

Personal Finance.

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.

Etymology

Origin of credit score

First recorded in 1975–80

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.

People have to consider the size of their down payment, income, debts — and also their credit score.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

“Someone who has a killer credit score is still going to have a killer credit score,” Ulzheimer said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026

The government-backed entities are embracing a rival type of credit score.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Having outstanding debt can damage your credit score and make it harder to get a loan.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023