credible
Definitions
Able to be believed; convincing
可信的，令人信服的
Capable of being effective or real; to be taken seriously
（实力等）值得认真对待的，靠得住的
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcred (believe) + -ible (able to be) = "able to be believed." A credible witness is one you can trust; a credible threat is one real enough to take seriously. The word always points to something that earns belief.
Root cred still carries 12 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.credible evidence可信的证据
- 2.credible witness可信的证人
- 3.credible threat可信的威胁
- 4.highly credible高度可信
Example Sentences
- 1.
The witness gave a credible account of the accident.
- 2.
They failed to produce any credible evidence.
Easily Confused
credible vs credulous — A trap because they look alike but flip the subject. credible = deserving belief (the source is good): a credible report. credulous = too willing to believe (the person is naive): a credulous audience. A credible person tells the truth; a credulous person swallows lies.
Synonym Comparison
- credible — can be believed; about trustworthiness of a source or claim
- believable — plausible, everyday register; a believable plot
- plausible — sounds reasonable, but may hint it isn't actually true
- convincing — actively persuades you; a convincing argument
- reliable — consistently dependable over time, not just believable once