discredit
gb/dɪskɹˈɛdət/ us/dɪskɹˈɛdət/
C1
Anglais
~ 9100
Sens
0 sens
Verbe
C1
action
1
harm someone's reputation
to make people respect or trust a person, group, or thing less
Schéma d’usage :
to discredit [someone/something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use *discredit* like an adjective (e.g. *"He is very discredit"*). This is incorrect; use *"discredited"* as an adjective (e.g. *"a discredited politician"*) or use a verb phrase like *"He has lost credibility"*.
Synonymes
defame (Often suggests serious or public harm to someone's reputation, sometimes in a legal context.)
Antonymes
vindicate (Means to clear someone of blame or suspicion, restoring their reputation.)
Collocations
seek to discredit
|attempt to discredit
|campaign to discredit
|designed to discredit
|used to discredit
|efforts to discredit
Thèmes
communication
|politics
|law
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The article was clearly written to discredit the whistleblower.
- Opponents tried to discredit her by spreading stories about her personal life.
- The leaked emails did little to discredit the candidate in the eyes of his supporters.
- He accused the company of attempting to discredit him after he complained.
- Any mistake in the report could discredit the entire investigation.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The news story tried to discredit the doctor.
- Her rivals spread lies to discredit her before the vote.
- One angry customer cannot discredit a good company.
- They failed to discredit the witness in court.
- The rumors did not discredit him with his friends.
Verbe
C1
action
2
show an idea is unreliable
to show that an idea, story, or report is not true or not good enough to trust
Schéma d’usage :
to discredit [a claim/idea/report/theory]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse *discredit* with *discourage*. *Discredit* is about truth or reputation (e.g. *"discredit a theory"*), while *discourage* is about making someone less willing to do something (e.g. *"discourage students from cheating"*).
Synonymes
debunk (Commonly used for exposing false or exaggerated claims, often in a clearer or more informal tone.)
Antonymes
corroborate (Means to provide supporting evidence that makes a claim or statement more believable.)
Collocations
discredit a theory
|discredit a report
|discredit the evidence
|discredit the testimony
|discredit a claim
|discredit the findings
Thèmes
science
|law
|academic
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- New data from the trial appear to discredit the earlier study.
- The witness's changing story completely discredited his testimony.
- Several experts have discredited the report as unscientific.
- Her careful research helped to discredit the popular myth.
- One mistake in the figures does not automatically discredit the entire analysis.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Scientists later discredited the old theory.
- The video helped discredit the false story.
- The lawyer tried to discredit the report in court.
- More studies are needed to discredit this claim.
- These facts do not fully discredit his idea.
Nom
formal
C1
state
3
loss of reputation or respect
a situation where people respect someone or something less because of bad actions or mistakes
Schéma d’usage :
to bring discredit on [someone/something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes say *"make discredit"* instead of *"bring discredit"* (e.g. incorrect: *"This will make discredit for the company"*; correct: *"This will bring discredit on the company"*).
Synonymes
dishonor (Often has a slightly more moral or emotional tone, especially about serious shame.)
Antonymes
credit (In this context, *credit* means praise or approval that improves someone's reputation.)
Collocations
bring discredit on
|to his discredit
|fall into discredit
|in discredit
|bring nothing but discredit
Thèmes
reputation
|morality
|society
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- His actions brought discredit on the entire organization.
- To her discredit, she never apologized for the error.
- The scandal has placed the ministry in discredit with the public.
- Such behavior brings nothing but discredit to the profession.
- The company is anxious to avoid any discredit to its name.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The lie brought discredit on the team.
- To his discredit, he hid the problem.
- This mistake will bring discredit to the school.
- Their actions put the club in discredit.
- The report caused discredit for the project.
Nom
C1
entity
4
person or thing causing shame
a person or thing that makes a group, family, or job look bad
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] is a discredit to [a group]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse *"a discredit to"* with *"discredited"*. Use *"a discredit to"* before a group (e.g. *"a discredit to the team"*). Use *"discredited"* to describe the person directly (e.g. *"a discredited doctor"*).
Synonymes
disgrace (Slightly stronger and more emotional, often used for very shameful behavior.)
Antonymes
credit (As in the phrase *"a credit to the team"*, meaning someone who makes the group look good.)
Collocations
a discredit to his family
|a discredit to the profession
|a discredit to the team
|prove a discredit to
|such a discredit
Thèmes
reputation
|family
|work
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- He is a discredit to the uniform he wears.
- Such behavior makes you a discredit to the company.
- The incident was a real discredit to the sport.
- Cheating students are a discredit to the university.
- Their unprofessional conduct is a discredit to the entire industry.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He is a discredit to his family.
- They were a discredit to the team.
- Her rude words are a discredit to the school.
- The fake review is a discredit to the website.
- Such actions are a discredit to our group.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
discredit
API
GB/dɪskɹˈɛdət/
US/dɪskɹˈɛdət/
Syllabes et accentuation
dis - cred - it (3 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cred)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: discredit
- Plural: discredit
Verb
- Base: discredit
- 3rd Person Singular: discredits
- Present Participle: discrediting
- Past: discredited
Famille de mots
Forms
discredits
verb
discrediting
verb
discredited
verb
Core family
Negative and opposite forms
incredible
adjective B1
incredibly
adverb A2
Advanced or less common
accredit
verb C1
accreditation
noun C1
Expressions
bring discredit on
1/bɹˈɪŋ dɪskɹˈɛdət ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
formal
cause someone to lose respect
to make people respect someone or something less because of bad actions or mistakes
Exemples
- Their unethical practices brought discredit on the whole department.
- The scandal may bring discredit on the charity, even though most staff did nothing wrong.
fall into discredit
1/fˈɔl ˈɪntu dɪskɹˈɛdət/
fixed phrase
formal
stop being respected or trusted
to stop being respected or trusted by people, often because of problems or changes in opinion
Exemples
- The theory fell into discredit after several major studies failed to support it.
- Once widely admired, the politician quickly fell into discredit following the corruption charges.
reflect discredit on
1/ɹɪflˈɛkt dɪskɹˈɛdət ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
formal
make someone look bad by association
to make a person or group look bad or guilty because something bad is linked with them
Exemples
- The actions of a few employees should not reflect discredit on the entire company.
- Her rude comments reflect discredit on the whole team.
to one's discredit
1/tə wˈʌnz dɪskɹˈɛdət/
fixed phrase
formal
showing that someone is at fault
used to say that something is bad for a person and makes people respect them less
Exemples
- To his discredit, he never mentioned the serious risks to his clients.
- It is very much to the company's discredit that they ignored the complaints for so long.
- To your discredit, you chose not to support your colleague when she needed you.