seems believable and trustworthy

credible

adjective|/ˈkred.ə.bəl/

Able to be believed; convincing or trustworthy

Examples

In a meeting

We need credible data sources to support our market analysis.

Over coffee

Her story sounds credible—I don't think she's making it up.

Why this word

believable

credible suggests worthiness of belief based on evidence or authority, believable is more informal

plausible

plausible means seemingly reasonable, credible means actually worthy of trust or confidence

reliable

reliable describes consistency, credible specifically means convincing or trustworthy as a source

Usage tip

Use when assessing whether information, sources, or claims deserve trust; focuses on believability rather than proven truth

Etymology

Latin 'credibilis' from 'credere' (to believe, trust)

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