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

Thanks to social media accounts such as @teammonarch and later, on-trend collaborations with the likes of Martine Rose, the bulky Nike sneaker started to gain serious street cred. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026

Numerous new independent hangouts — back-alley bars, small hotels, easygoing restaurants — are adding to the city’s cool factor with less fanfare and more street cred. — The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026

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

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