street cred

noun

informal

: the acceptance and respect that one has earned among one's peers or audience by having experienced life in the street (see street entry 1 sense 5)

… the style, street cred and slang of notable Atlanta rappers like Future and Lil Baby.

—Salamishah Tillet

broadly : the acceptance and respect that one has earned among members of a given group

… a possible boost to her street cred with young voters …

—abc13.com

Examples of street cred in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

CookUnity caught my attention with its lineup of fully prepared meals created by chefs, many with some serious street cred. — Marisa Malanga, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 June 2026

So the real contest at this World Cup is not Nike versus Adidas for street cred. — Gabriel Alin Zainescu, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Car show winners The winner of Best in Show at the fourth annual Historic Downtown Campbell Car Show, held June 6, may seem somewhat underwhelming, but organizers assert that Michael Vanni’s 1964 Chevy Nova has serious street cred. — Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 21 June 2026

Such publicity helps elevate deadstock as not only a mark of sustainability street cred, but as an indicator of quality, too. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1981, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for street cred

• abed
• ahead
• beachhead
• bedspread
• bedstead
• behead
• blackhead
• blockhead
• bloodshed
• bowhead
• breastfed
• bridgehead