reputable
Americanadjective
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held in good repute; honorable; respectable; estimable.
a reputable organization.
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considered to be good or acceptable usage; standard.
reputable speech.
adjective
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having a good reputation; honoured, trustworthy, or respectable
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(of words) acceptable as good usage; standard
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reputable
Explanation
Want the real scoop on your favorite singer's latest romance? Then you should probably find a more reputable source than the tabloids — meaning someone with a better reputation, in this case for telling the truth. That's the thing with reputable reputations. People know you can be trusted, that you're honest and not trying to pull one over on anybody. Reputable institutions usually have a history of excellent service or outstanding work, and always come highly recommended. Reputable used car salesmen may seem scarce. The word reputable actually has a good deal of reputability itself, since it's been in standard use since the 17th century.
Vocabulary lists containing reputable
100 SAT words Beginning with "R"
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List 2
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Words from the 2020 Vice Presidential Debate
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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.
Depending on how you count, scholars now face tens of thousands of journals competing for submissions, and not all of them are reputable.
From Slate • May 3, 2026
Allen grew up in a middle-class, suburban part of Torrance, one of four siblings who would each go on to study at reputable universities.
From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026
He says the team sources updates from reputable media publications such as Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter but does also receive anonymous tip-offs.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
Memorial and Novaya Gazeta, both founded around the collapse of the Soviet Union, are Russia's two most reputable and renowned organisations reporting and documenting human rights abuses.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
“Biblical scholars don’t stretch their imaginations—at least reputable ones don’t,” he said.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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.
