cred

noun \ ˈkred \

|Updated on: 15 Jun 2018

Definition of cred

: credibility; specifically : the ability to gain acceptance as a member of a particular group or class

used … his new street cred to develop contacts
—Dale Keiger

See cred defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of cred from the Web

But few of those Cassandras have the tech cred of Mr. Musk.

— New York Times, "Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and the Feud Over Killer Robots," 9 June 2018
Polaroid’s even cheaper throwback OneStep 2 ($100, polaroidoriginals.com) boasts the most old-school cred but can give subjects a muddy, underexposed look evocative of grim 1980s family photos.

— paul schrodt, WSJ, "The Nostalgic Appeal of Instant Cameras—and Why They’re Back," 24 May 2018
But that project’s water-wise cred has been questioned: Its centerpiece is an 18-acre artificial pond.

— jake bullinger, WIRED, "America's Fastest-Growing Urban Area Has a Water Problem," 22 May 2018
Meanwhile, Antonio Villaraigosa is getting some help from ads funded by wealthy charter school supporters; and Republican candidates Travis Allen and John Cox are running with the theme of who has the real conservative cred.

— latimes.com, "Today: Festivities and Fury," 15 May 2018
Panetta has budget-balancing cred: In 1992, the year Clinton was elected, the deficit was $292 billion.

— joe garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, "Californian and White House veteran offers clarity on Washington’s chaos," 12 Apr. 2018
Mayer, for his part, was happy to write back and provide outfit creds.

— cam wolf, GQ, "How UpscaleHype Became Menswear’s Most Important Instagram Account," 26 Apr. 2018
Koussa’s entrepreneurial cred isn’t too shabby, either.

— scott kirsner, BostonGlobe.com, "Turn your bathroom into a medical lab," 6 Apr. 2018
Among other stage and film creds, Coulson played Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002.

— john timpane, Philly.com, "Actor from Harry Potter films will appear at this year's Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival," 30 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cred.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of cred

1981

in the meaning defined above

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CRED Defined for English Language Learners

cred

noun

Definition of cred for English Language Learners

: the fact of being accepted and respected as a member of a social group or class

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