reputation

American  

[rep-yuh-tey-shuhn] / ˌrɛp yəˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the estimation in which a person or thing is held, especially by the community or the public generally; repute.

   a man of good reputation.

   Synonyms:

   name, regard

2. favorable repute; good name.

   to ruin one's reputation by misconduct.

   Synonyms:

   recognition, honor, esteem, renown, distinction, fame

   Antonyms:

   disrepute

3. a favorable and publicly recognized name or standing for merit, achievement, reliability, etc..

   to build up a reputation.

4. the estimation or name of being, having, having done, etc., something specified.

   He has the reputation of being a shrewd businessman.

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reputation British  

/ ˌrɛpjʊˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the estimation in which a person or thing is generally held; opinion

2. a high opinion generally held about a person or thing; esteem

3. notoriety or fame, esp for some specified characteristic

4. to be known or notorious, esp for promiscuity, excessive drinking, or the like

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Usage

What does reputation mean? A reputation is the opinion people or a wider community have of a person, group of people, company, or similar, as in The restaurant had a reputation for slow service but excellent food.A reputation is also someone’s favorable standing in the community, as in Stella protected her business’s reputation by always giving excellent customer service.A reputation also means being known for something. In this sense, you can have a good reputation or a bad one, as in Hanging around with violent gangs will get you a reputation.Note that reputation is different from character. Your reputation is what other people think of you, while your character is your internal qualities. A reputation is often about perception, which means it’s not always factual. Knowing where a reputation comes from can help you determine if it’s deserved or not.Example: The university had a reputation for turning out influential artists.

Related Words

Reputation, character are often confused. Reputation, however, is the word which refers to the position one occupies or the standing that one has in the opinion of others, in respect to attainments, integrity, and the like: a fine reputation; a reputation for honesty. Character is the combination of moral and other traits which make one the kind of person one actually is (as contrasted with what others think of one): Honesty is an outstanding trait of his character. See credit.

Other Word Forms

• reputational adjective
• reputationless adjective
• self-reputation noun

Etymology

Origin of reputation

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English reputacioun, from Latin reputātiōn-, stem of reputātiō “computation, consideration,” from reputāt(us) “computed, considered” (past participle of reputāre “to compute, consider”; repute ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

“These actions will ultimately hurt our state’s economy and reputation,” Cooper said in a 2023 press release.

From Salon

But it’s just as much about journalistic malpractice, ethical outrages and the besmearing of reputations on the flimsiest of evidence.

From The Wall Street Journal

Now he’ll have an opportunity to repair his reputation at Northwestern.

From Los Angeles Times

This kind of speculative trading hurts the industry’s reputation and makes it hard to attract long-term investors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Everything essential to David’s reputation is already present in this body of work, done for the monarchy of Louis XVI.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• character
• fame
• honor
• influence
• name
• notoriety
• opinion
• position
• prestige
• prominence
• standing
• stature