credibility gap

noun

1
a
: lack of trust
a credibility gap between generations
b
: lack of believability
a credibility gap created by contradictory official statementsSamuel Ellenport
2
: discrepancy
the credibility gap between the professed ideals … and their actual practicesJeanne L. Noble

Examples of credibility gap in a Sentence

There is a credibility gap between what the mayor says and what the people see happening in the city. The fact that the new estimates are so wildly different from the initial numbers has created a credibility gap.
Recent Examples on the Web Dovish leaders also face pressure to appoint hawkish officials to help close their credibility gap on national security, as illustrated by the frequency with which Democratic presidents appoint Republican secretaries of defense. Elizabeth N. Saunders, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Beyond the mockery, the royal family faces a lingering credibility gap. Mark Landler, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 The source of hawkish bias lies in the credibility gap that dovish leaders face when making foreign and security policies. Elizabeth N. Saunders, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 More ironic still is that this ideological capture, which dictates the hypocrisy — obvious to millions — in editorial choices and news coverage, widens ever further the press’s already yawning credibility gap. Becket Adams, National Review, 24 Dec. 2023 Talk about a credibility gap! Mike Masterson, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2020 As the Pentagon Papers made clear, these capable leaders knew at some point that the war could not be won, but their continuous misinformation on the war’s progress created a cavernous credibility gap with the public that lingers to this day. Michael Peregrine, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023 There is a credibility gap because of past broken promises. Dana Beltaji and Peter Prengaman, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Nov. 2022 That created a credibility gap between the clubhouse and the front office. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Aug. 2022

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

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of credibility gap was in 1965

Dictionary Entries Near credibility gap

Cite this Entry

“Credibility gap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/credibility%20gap. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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