soft credit inquiry

American  

[sawft kred-it in-kwuh-ree, soft] / ˈsɔft ˈkrɛd ɪt ˌɪn kwə ri, ˈsɒft /

noun

Finance.

1. an informal review of creditworthiness, which does not affect a person's credit score, carried out by a potential lender or credit issuer, or by a potential borrower who requests a copy of their credit report.

   A preapproved credit card offering received in the mail normally entails a soft credit inquiry.

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Etymology

Origin of soft credit inquiry

First recorded in 2005–10

Example Sentences

It’s smoothly embedded in the shopping experience, offering almost immediate approval — sometimes not even requiring a so-called soft credit inquiry, which doesn’t affect your credit score in any case.

From New York Times • Sep. 3, 2021