credibility
gb/kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti/ us/kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
property
1
quality of being believable
how believable or trustworthy something seems
Usage pattern:
the credibility of [something]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse credibility (being believed) with credit (money you can borrow).
Synonyms
believability (Focuses on how convincing something sounds.)
|
trustworthiness (Emphasizes being honest and reliable.)
Antonyms
unreliability (Opposite in terms of not being dependable or believable.)
|
implausibility (Opposite in terms of being hard to believe.)
Collocations
high credibility
|low credibility
|the credibility of the story
|question someone's credibility
|undermine credibility
|damage credibility
|establish credibility
|maintain credibility
|restore credibility
|boost credibility
Themes
communication
|media
|daily_life
Examples
- Her calm explanation gave the story credibility.
- The report lost credibility after several key errors were found.
- They added detailed sources to improve the article’s credibility.
Learner examples
- The witness had credibility in court.
- This website has high credibility.
Noun
B2
abstract
2
reputation for being trustworthy
the trust people have in a person or group
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s credibility (with [someone/group])
Common mistake:
Credibility is uncountable in most uses (not 'a credibility'); say 'some credibility' or 'a credible person'.
Synonyms
reputation (Broader; can be good or bad, not only about being believed.)
|
standing (Often about respect and status within a group.)
Antonyms
disrepute (A state of being widely distrusted or disapproved of.)
|
distrust (The opposite reaction from others toward a person or group.)
Collocations
personal credibility
|professional credibility
|political credibility
|journalistic credibility
|a loss of credibility
|build credibility
|earn credibility
|retain credibility
|credibility with voters
|credibility with colleagues
Themes
work
|business
|relationships
|politics
Examples
- He worked hard to rebuild his credibility after the scandal.
- The doctor’s credentials added to her credibility with patients.
- Once you lie, your credibility is hard to get back.
Learner examples
- She has credibility at work.
- He lost credibility with his friends.
Noun
C1
property
3
plausibility of a claim
how likely a story or claim seems
Usage pattern:
the credibility of [a claim/story/explanation]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'credible' where 'plausible' fits better; credibility often implies being believed by others.
Synonyms
plausibility (Focuses on seeming logically possible.)
|
likelihood (More general probability, less about trust.)
Antonyms
absurdity (Extremely hard to take seriously or believe.)
|
improbability (Low likelihood of being true.)
Collocations
the credibility of the claim
|the credibility of the explanation
|assess credibility
|evaluate credibility
|test credibility
|credibility of an allegation
|credibility of a rumor
|challenge the credibility
|enhance credibility
|lack credibility
Themes
communication
|law
|daily_life
Examples
- The timeline hurt the credibility of his explanation.
- Several witnesses supported her account, increasing its credibility.
- The theory has some credibility, but it needs more evidence.
Learner examples
- The story has credibility.
- His excuse lacks credibility.
Noun
formal
C1
abstract
4
public trust in an institution
how much people trust an organization
Usage pattern:
[an institution]'s credibility (with [the public/audience])
Common mistake:
Not the same as authority; an organization can have power without credibility.
Synonyms
legitimacy (Focuses on being seen as rightful or valid, not only believable.)
|
public confidence (Emphasizes the public’s feeling of trust.)
Antonyms
illegitimacy (Being seen as not valid or not rightful.)
|
public distrust (A broad lack of trust from the public.)
Collocations
government credibility
|media credibility
|institutional credibility
|international credibility
|public credibility
|credibility crisis
|a blow to credibility
|restore credibility
|credibility with the public
|credibility among allies
Themes
politics
|business
|media
|society
Examples
- The agency’s credibility suffered after the data was misreported.
- The central bank needs credibility to keep inflation expectations stable.
- Repeated reversals damaged the administration’s credibility abroad.
Learner examples
- The company wants to improve its credibility.
- The scandal hurt the bank’s credibility.
Noun
B2
property
5
reliability of a source
how reliable a source of information is
Usage pattern:
the credibility of [a source/website/study]
Common mistake:
Learners may say 'credible source' correctly, but may incorrectly say 'credibility source' instead of 'source credibility' or 'the credibility of the source'.
Synonyms
reliability (General dependability; not always tied to being believed.)
|
authoritativeness (Emphasizes expertise and recognized authority.)
Antonyms
dubiousness (Suggests suspicion about truth or quality.)
|
bias (Opposes credibility by suggesting unfair influence on information.)
Collocations
source credibility
|scientific credibility
|academic credibility
|the credibility of a website
|the credibility of a study
|check credibility
|verify credibility
|judge credibility
|question the credibility
|credible sources
Themes
education
|media
|technology
Examples
- Students are taught to evaluate the credibility of online sources.
- Anonymous posts often have low credibility compared with official statements.
- Peer review can increase the credibility of research findings.
Learner examples
- Check the credibility of the website.
- This source has low credibility.
Grammar
Dictionary form
credibility
IPA
GB/kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti/
US/kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti/
Syllables & stress
cred - ib - il - ity (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (il)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: credibility
- Plural: credibilities, credibility
Word family
Forms
credibilities
noun
Related words
credit
noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
credence
noun
credulous
adjective
incredulous
adjective
Expressions
credibility crisis
1/kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti kɹˈaɪsəs/
fixed phrase
formal
serious loss of public trust
a time when people stop trusting someone
Examples
- The CEO faced a credibility crisis after the misleading statements.
- The agency is in a credibility crisis following the report’s findings.
- A credibility crisis can make it hard to communicate even true information.
credibility gap
1/kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti ɡˈæp/
fixed phrase
formal
difference between claims and reality
when people don’t believe official statements
Examples
- A credibility gap opened up between the minister’s promises and the results.
- The company faced a credibility gap after repeated delays.
- Polling showed a growing credibility gap on the issue.
gain credibility
1/ɡˈeɪn kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
become more trusted
to be trusted more
Examples
- The idea gained credibility after new studies supported it.
- She gained credibility with the team by delivering on her promises.
- The startup gained credibility when a major investor backed it.
lend credibility to
1/lˈɛnd kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti tə/
fixed phrase
make something seem believable
to make something easier to believe
Examples
- The photographs lend credibility to her account of the events.
- His experience as a pilot lends credibility to his safety concerns.
- Independent audits lend credibility to the company’s claims.
lose credibility
1/lˈuz kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
stop being trusted
to be trusted less
Examples
- The witness lost credibility when he changed his story.
- If you exaggerate, you’ll lose credibility with your audience.
- The newspaper lost credibility after publishing false information.
street credibility
1/stɹˈit kɹˌɛdɪbˈɪlɪti/
fixed phrase
informal
respect in a tough community
respect from people on the street
Examples
- The actor gained street credibility after starring in the indie film.
- He talks tough, but he has no street credibility.
- The brand tried to build street credibility by sponsoring local artists.