credible
Americanadjective
-
capable of being believed; believable.
a credible statement.
- Synonyms:
- tenable, reasonable, likely, plausible
-
worthy of belief or confidence; trustworthy.
a credible witness.
adjective
-
capable of being believed
-
trustworthy or reliable
the latest claim is the only one to involve a credible witness
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of credible
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin crēdibilis, from crēd(ere) “to believe, confide, entrust” + -ibilis -ible
Compare meaning
How does credible compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Someone who's credible is honest and believable. A pathological liar, for example, might not be the most credible witness for your case against the bank robber. Similar to words like reliable and plausible, credible is an adjective that comes to us from the Latin credibilis, meaning “worthy to be believed.” A credible reputation is often earned through consistent good behavior and an overall trustworthy personality. Spill a secret you promised to keep, or lie under oath in a courtroom, and you lose all credibility.
Vocabulary lists containing credible
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Believe It or Not: Cred
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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.
No, not unless I had a system whose outputs I’d already tested, and I’d want to see how credible its answers are and how much they change with a different thesis.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
The Houthi announcement of a blockade should be treated as “a credible escalation, not routine rhetoric,” maritime risk company Marisks said in a note to clients on Monday, seen by The Wall Street Journal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Iran did not immediately confirm launching the attack, but the US embassy in Amman had earlier warned its citizens of a "specific and credible threat" targeting Aqaba's port and airport.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
FIFA’s selective moral leadership — claiming the high ground on fair play, inclusion and human rights — cannot be credible without meaningful action on gender-based violence.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
And the curious ones laughed and said how foolish and credible people were to spread such wild rumors.
From "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse
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.
