accredit

verb

ac·​cred·​it ə-ˈkre-dət How to pronounce accredit (audio)
accredited; accrediting; accredits

transitive verb

1
: to give official authorization to or approval of:
a
: to provide with credentials
especially : to send (an envoy) with letters of authorization
accredit an ambassador to France
b
: to recognize or vouch for as conforming with a standard
The program was accredited by the American Dental Association.
c
: to recognize (an educational institution) as maintaining standards that qualify the graduates for admission to higher or more specialized institutions or for professional practice
2
: to consider or recognize as outstanding
an accredited scientist
3
: attribute, credit
an invention accredited to the company's founder
accreditable adjective
accreditation noun
Choose the Right Synonym for accredit

approve, endorse, sanction, accredit, certify mean to have or express a favorable opinion of.

approve often implies no more than this but may suggest considerable esteem or admiration.

the parents approve of the marriage

endorse suggests an explicit statement of support.

publicly endorsed her for Senator

sanction implies both approval and authorization.

the President sanctioned covert operations

accredit and certify usually imply official endorsement attesting to conformity to set standards.

the board voted to accredit the college
must be certified to teach

Example Sentences

The association only accredits programs that meet its high standards. The program was accredited by the American Dental Association. The invention of scuba gear is accredited to Jacques Cousteau. accredit an ambassador to France
Recent Examples on the Web Diplomats and legal experts see little hope Mr. Gershkovich, a reporter accredited by the Russian foreign ministry, will immediately be freed, given that espionage trials in Russia are conducted in secret and almost always end in a conviction. Joe Parkinson, WSJ, 31 Mar. 2023 According to its website, NAEYC is a national accrediting board that works to provide high-quality early learning materials for children up to age eight. al, 26 Jan. 2023 His proposals include dismantling accrediting organizations, and removing diversity, equity and inclusion administrators. Chuck Todd, NBC News, 3 May 2023 For the 2021-2022 school year, 89 percent of Virginia’s public K-12 schools are fully accredited, compared with 92 percent in the 2019-2020 school year. Karina Elwood, Washington Post, 24 Apr. 2023 Pawsitive Teams was accredited by Assistance Dogs International in 2005 and now has three part-time employees, 50 volunteers and a training and education center. Diane Bell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2023 His arrest was a moment that crystallized just how far and how fast President Vladimir V. Putin’s Russia has morphed into a police state in which no one is safe — not even a journalist officially accredited by Russia’s Foreign Ministry. Anton Troianovski, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2023 The Shanghai festival was launched in 1993 and was accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) as China’s first and only international competitive feature film festival. Patrick Frater, Variety, 3 Apr. 2023 Gershkovich, who reports on Russia as part of the Journal’s Moscow bureau, is accredited to work as a journalist in Russia by the country’s foreign ministry, the agency said. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'accredit.' 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

probably borrowed from Latin accrēditus, past participle of accrēdere "to give credence to, believe, put faith in," from ad- ad- + crēdere "to entrust, believe" — more at creed

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of accredit was in 1535

Dictionary Entries Near accredit

Cite this Entry

“Accredit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accredit. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

accredit

verb
ac·​cred·​it ə-ˈkred-ət How to pronounce accredit (audio)
1
: to send with credentials and authority to act as representative
accredit an ambassador to France
2
: to certify as in agreement with a standard
an accredited school
3
: to give credit to
accreditation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on accredit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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