reputation

noun

rep·​u·​ta·​tion ˌre-pyə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce reputation (audio)
1
a
: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general
b
: recognition by other people of some characteristic or ability
has the reputation of being clever
2
: a place in public esteem or regard : good name
trying to protect his reputation
reputational adjective

Did you know?

For reputation, the attainment of lexical esteem begins in 14th-century Middle English in the character of reputacion, which is a borrowing of an Anglo-French word with meanings similar to the English word (referring to such things as celebrity, distinction, good name, or estimation of character). The Anglo-French is from Latin reputation-, reputatio, meaning "consideration," and ultimately from reputare, "to reckon up or to think over." That Latinate verb couples the well-known "again" prefix re- with the verb putare ("to reckon"). Renowned celebrities of the putare family are the verb repute ("to believe or consider"), the identical noun (synonymous with reputation), the adjectives reputable and reputed, and the adverb reputedly. Other putare cousins of notoriety are disputedisreputableimputation, and putative, along with their kin.

Examples of reputation in a Sentence

He has earned a reputation as a first-class playwright. a teacher with a reputation for patience Poor customer service has ruined the company's reputation.
Recent Examples on the Web Red’s professional digital cameras have a long reputation in cinematography circles for pushing the boundaries of what camera sensors and optics can do. Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2024 After all, Red Dog is still finding its feet and doesn’t really have a reputation to speak of. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 For the first time ever, scientists witnessed a lone orca killing a great white shark off the coast of South Africa, further solidifying the mammal's reputation as the ocean's top predator and raising concerns about its impact on the area's ecosystem. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 All that salesmanship, alas, may not compensate for the reputation that Cybertrucks have acquired since an underwhelming delivery event in November kicked off sales to customers who had waited four years to get behind the wheel. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 Porter is livid Porter, a third-term member of Congress who built a strong reputation as an outspoken consumer advocate, fired back Wednesday and again Thursday. David Lightman, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 As for magnesium’s reputation as a slayer of stress and bringer of sleep, the jury is still out, according to Steven Chen, associate dean for clinical affairs at USC’s Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Adam Markovitz, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 To develop the framework, the agency connected with leaders in industry, civil society and other groups, earning a strong reputation among numerous parties as lawmakers began to grapple with the swiftly evolving technology. Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Morgan, who was promoted to the Panthers’ president of football operations and general manager last month, has gained a reputation for being a workhorse in the film room. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reputation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English reputacion, from Anglo-French, from Latin reputation-, reputatio consideration, from reputare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of reputation was in the 14th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near reputation

Cite this Entry

“Reputation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reputation. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reputation

noun
rep·​u·​ta·​tion ˌrep-yə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce reputation (audio)
1
: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general
a car with a good reputation
2
: notice by other people of some quality or ability
has the reputation of being a good tennis player
3
: a place in public regard : good name
trying to protect his reputation

Legal Definition

reputation

noun
rep·​u·​ta·​tion
: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general within a community see also character evidence at evidence, reputation testimony at testimony

More from Merriam-Webster on reputation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!