crediblecred‧i‧ble /ˈkredəbəl/ ●○○ adjective 
He was unable to give a credible explanation for his behaviour. Her excuse was barely credible.credible threat/challenge/force etc Can Thompson make a credible challenge for the party leadership? a credible alternative to nuclear power—credibly adverb
WORD ORIGINcredible
Origin:
1300-1400 Latin credibilis, from credere; ➔ CREDENCEEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Her story is completely credible - she doesn't usually exaggerate.
- Is she a credible witness?
- The complaint would be more credible if he could remember more specific details.
- But how much longer he can survive as a credible force is open to question.
- Once they began, they acquired momentum of their own, and the size of the purge made it credible.
- The idea of one global power holding the other to ransom seems less credible now than it has done previously.
- This means, do I think you are competent and credible.
Longman Language Activatorwhen something seems likely to be true
if a story, explanation etc is believable , you can believe it because it seems possible or likely: · The plot is believable, but the characters aren't very interesting.· Hardly anything they put on the news programs these days is believable.
a convincing explanation, argument, reason etc seems likely to be true: · I didn't find any of their arguments very convincing.· There is no convincing evidence that the tax cut will produce new jobs.
something that is plausible seems reasonable and likely to be true, even though it may actually be untrue - use this especially about an explanation, excuse, or idea: · His explanation sounds fairly plausible to me.· I need to think of a plausible excuse for not going to the meeting.
something that is credible can be believed because it seems likely or because you trust the person who is saying it: · Her story is completely credible - she doesn't usually exaggerate.· The complaint would be more credible if he could remember more specific details.
a story or explanation that has a ring of truth contains something that makes you believe it, even though it does not at first seem true: · I don't really trust her, but some of what she says has a ring of truth.· Lies by their nature have a ring of truth - otherwise, people wouldn't believe them.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He was unable to give a credible explanation for his behaviour. Her excuse was barely credible. Can Thompson make a credible challenge for the party leadership? a credible alternative to nuclear powerCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
He was unable to give a credible explanation for his behaviour. Her excuse was barely credible. Can Thompson make a credible challenge for the party leadership? a credible alternative to nuclear power (=which people can trust or believe)· Do you think their evidence is reliable?
(=one that you can believe is true)· The author fails to provide a convincing explanation for the main character’s motives.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The idea of one global power holding the other to ransom seems less credible now than it has done previously.· The national newspaper Is remote, the events not within his area and thus less familiar and less credible.· To delay the introduction of such information may make the vendor less credible to a buyer.
· He would be more credible if he displayed understanding of these basic issues.· The Democrats have got to put up more white candidates in the South who are more credible with blacks.· Western strategy had become a little more credible.· Yet it makes the goal of church union far more credible and essential.· This is the sort of book in which the amateur detective, modern-style, is a much more credible figure.· Resubmission of this complaint, no matter in what form, will not render these flaky allegations any more credible.· And they have a real sense of being more credible.· Sometimes there are more credible observations, such as reports of foreshocks.
· Whatever happens, the Government will do what they can to advance the case of the most credible United Kingdom candidate.
NOUN· But modern refinements and materials have brought about a resurgence of the supercharger, making it a credible alternative to the turbo.· He was allowed to creep back into power for want of a credible alternative.
· The first two of these little surprises, just possibly, have credible explanations.
· But how much longer he can survive as a credible force is open to question.
· The greater its dependence on others, the less its ability to issue credible threats or to mobilise for sustained hostilities.· But such a strategy, chancy at best, certainly can not succeed without a credible threat of a resolution.
WORD FAMILYadjectiveincrediblecredibleincredulousadverbincrediblycrediblyincredulouslynouncredibilityincredulity
deserving or able to be believed or trustedcredible explanation/story/account etc He was unable to give a credible explanation for his behaviour. Her excuse was barely credible.credible threat/challenge/force etc Can Thompson make a credible challenge for the party leadership? a credible alternative to nuclear power—credibly adverb