credibility

noun

cred·​i·​bil·​i·​ty ˌkre-də-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce credibility (audio)
1
: the quality or power of inspiring belief
an account lacking in credibility
2
: capacity for belief
Her account exceeds credibility.

Examples of credibility in a Sentence

The new evidence lends credibility to their theory. The scandal undermined her credibility as an honest politician. In this instance, the lawyer's job is to make the jury doubt the witness's credibility.
Recent Examples on the Web For the influencers themselves, working with campaigns can be lucrative and can give them a boost in credibility. Yashraj Sharma, WIRED, 23 Nov. 2023 Rather, her contention is that three years of the same type and scope of investigation — no matter the source or credibility or repetitiveness of the accusations against her — is indiscriminately and thus unconstitutionally invasive. Eli Hager, ProPublica, 16 Nov. 2023 Five witnesses have since recanted their testimonies in the drug case against de Lima in the past two years, lending credibility to her defense. Regine Cabato, Washington Post, 13 Nov. 2023 April 18 - Fox News reaches a last-second settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, paying more than $787 million to end a two-year legal battle that publicly shredded the network’s credibility. CNN, 13 Nov. 2023 Democrats would be wise to consider this book carefully, given the authors’ credibility as political analysts. Heather Wilhelm, National Review, 9 Nov. 2023 But that won’t do, given Nature’s implicit duty to defend the credibility of science, not undermine it. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023 Whoever stayed silent after the massacre of children does not hold the moral credibility to educate children. Kyle Morris, Fox News, 7 Nov. 2023 Yet Eric’s contradiction to his own deposition also shines a light on the prosecution’s strategy, which has been to question his credibility without outright calling him a liar. Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2023 See More

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

see credible

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of credibility was in 1594

Dictionary Entries Near credibility

Cite this Entry

“Credibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/credibility. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

credibility

noun
cred·​i·​bil·​i·​ty ˌkred-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē How to pronounce credibility (audio)
1
: the quality or power of inspiring belief
a story without much credibility
2
: capacity for belief
an excuse that strained the teacher's credibility
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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