credibility

Everyday

Credibility is the quality of being believed and trusted. tree →

In the lessons

In lessons on news and the internet: the credibility of a source depends on who wrote it, whether facts can be checked and whether other good sources agree. In stories, a liar loses credibility; a witness's credibility matters in court. Phrases: «lose credibility», «damage your credibility», «a credibility problem».

Examples

• The website had no author or date, so its credibility was low. tree →
• After lying twice, he lost all credibility. tree →
• The scientist's careful work gave her great credibility. tree →
• Spelling mistakes can hurt the credibility of a letter. tree →
• The witness's credibility was questioned in court. tree →
• Check the credibility of a source before you use it in your project. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Adjective: credible. Opposite: lack of credibility, incredibility (rare). Do not mix with «credit» (money, or praise).