This page in your language

فارسی

العربية

Deutsch

Español

Français

日本語

한국어

Português

中文

हिन्दी

Home
Learn
French
Vocabulary
crédibilité

B2 noun 13 min read

crédibilité

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips crédibilité in 30 Seconds

Explanation crédibilité in your Level:

At the A1 level, the word 'crédibilité' is quite advanced, but the concept of trust is not. A beginner should focus on the idea of believing someone. You might not use this long word yet, but you will learn its building blocks. For example, you learn 'croire' (to believe) and 'vrai' (true). At this stage, you might say 'Je te crois' (I believe you) or 'C'est vrai' (It's true). Understanding 'crédibilité' starts with understanding that some things are believed and others are not. You can think of it as the 'truth-level' of a person. Even though it's a B2 word, recognizing it in a sentence like 'C'est une question de crédibilité' will help you realize that the speaker is talking about whether something can be trusted. It is a feminine word, so you would see 'la' or 'ma' in front of it. Learning it early helps you see how French builds long words from simple roots like 'crédit' (credit/trust).

At the A2 level, you are starting to handle more abstract nouns. You might encounter 'crédibilité' in simple news reports or short articles. You should recognize that it comes from the same family as 'croire' (to believe). At this level, you can begin to use it in basic sentences to describe why you trust a source. For example, 'Ce journal a une bonne crédibilité.' You are moving beyond just saying 'I trust you' to describing the *quality* of that trust. You might also notice it in the context of work or school, where someone's 'crédibilité' is important for their reputation. It is important to remember that it is a feminine noun, so you will use 'une' or 'la'. You can also start to contrast it with 'mensonge' (lie). If someone lies, they lose their 'crédibilité'. This helps you build a more professional vocabulary for describing people's characters and the reliability of information you find online or in books.

At the B1 level, you are expected to discuss social issues and express opinions. 'Crédibilité' becomes a very useful tool for these conversations. You can use it to talk about politics, the environment, or the media. For instance, you might say, 'Je ne pense pas que ce politicien ait de la crédibilité car il change souvent d'avis.' (I don't think this politician has credibility because he often changes his mind). You are now able to use verbs like 'perdre' (to lose) or 'gagner' (to gain) with this noun. You should also be able to distinguish between 'crédibilité' and 'confiance' (trust). While 'confiance' is often emotional, 'crédibilité' is more about evidence and reputation. At this stage, you should also be careful not to confuse it with 'crédulité' (gullibility), which is a common mistake for learners. You are starting to see how 'crédibilité' is essential for making a convincing argument in a debate or a written essay for your French class.

At the B2 level, which is the target level for this word, you should use 'crédibilité' with precision and ease. You are expected to understand its nuances in professional, academic, and political contexts. You should be able to use complex structures like 'remettre en cause la crédibilité de quelqu'un' (to challenge someone's credibility) or 'jouir d'une grande crédibilité auprès de l'opinion publique' (to enjoy great credibility with public opinion). You understand that 'crédibilité' is not just about being honest, but about having the expertise and status that makes your words carry weight. You can use it to analyze texts, discussing whether a narrator is 'crédible' or if a scientific study's 'crédibilité' is 'entamée' (undermined) by its funding source. You are also aware of the feminine gender and ensure all adjectives agree perfectly. This word is a key part of your 'argumentation' toolkit, allowing you to critique sources and build your own authority in both spoken and written French.

At the C1 level, you use 'crédibilité' as a sophisticated rhetorical device. You can discuss the 'crédibilité institutionnelle' or 'crédibilité épistémologique' of various structures. You are able to use the word in high-level academic writing or professional reports to discuss the subtle ways trust is built or eroded in society. You might explore the relationship between 'crédibilité' and 'légitimité' in political science or the 'crédibilité narrative' in literary analysis. You can use a wide range of collocations and idiomatic expressions, such as 'accorder du crédit' or 'faire foi'. Your understanding of the word includes its etymological roots and its historical evolution in the French language. You can engage in deep philosophical debates about whether 'crédibilité' is an objective quality or a subjective perception. At this level, the word is not just a vocabulary item, but a conceptual framework you use to navigate complex intellectual landscapes in the Francophone world.

At the C2 level, you have a native-like grasp of 'crédibilité'. You can play with the word's nuances in creative writing or high-level oratory. You understand the political implications of 'crédibilité' in international diplomacy and can use it to deconstruct the rhetoric of public figures. You might use it in a phrase like 'l'érosion insidieuse de la crédibilité démocratique' (the insidious erosion of democratic credibility). You are perfectly comfortable with all its synonyms and can choose the most subtle alternative, like 'véracité', 'vraisemblance', or 'fiabilité', to convey exact shades of meaning. You can also recognize and use rare or archaic forms related to the word if they appear in classical literature. For you, 'crédibilité' is a multifaceted gem of the French language, reflecting the complex interplay between truth, authority, and social perception. You can use it to articulate the most refined thoughts on ethics, science, and the human condition with absolute precision and stylistic flair.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

crédibilité in 30 Seconds

Crédibilité is a feminine French noun meaning credibility or believability, essential for trust in professional and personal contexts.
It is often used with verbs like 'perdre' (lose), 'gagner' (gain), or 'nuire à' (harm) to describe reputation.
Commonly heard in news, politics, and science to evaluate the reliability of sources and public figures.
It differs from 'crédulité' (gullibility) and 'fiabilité' (reliability), focusing specifically on the quality of being believed.

The French word crédibilité is a feminine noun that translates directly to 'credibility' in English. At its core, it refers to the quality of being believable or worthy of trust. However, in the nuance of the French language, it often carries a weight of institutional or intellectual authority that goes beyond simple honesty. When you speak of someone's crédibilité, you are discussing the degree to which their words, actions, or professional standing allow others to accept their claims as truth without immediate skepticism. It is a fundamental concept in politics, journalism, science, and personal relationships.

Professional Context: In the workplace, crédibilité is earned through consistent performance and expertise. A manager might lose their crédibilité if they make promises they cannot keep or if they demonstrate a lack of knowledge in their field. It is often linked to the concept of légitimité (legitimacy).

Le ministre a dû démissionner car il avait perdu toute sa crédibilité auprès des électeurs après le scandale.

The term is also vital in the world of media. With the rise of 'fake news' (often called infox in French), the crédibilité of a source is the primary filter through which information is processed. A journalist's entire career is built on this single noun. If a source is found to be unreliable, their crédibilité is said to be entamée (undermined) or ruinée (ruined).

Social Context: In daily life, you might use this word to describe a friend who constantly exaggerates. You might say, 'Il n'a aucune crédibilité quand il raconte ses histoires de pêche,' meaning no one takes his fishing stories seriously. It is about the weight of one's word.

Pour renforcer la crédibilité de votre argument, vous devriez citer des sources scientifiques fiables.

Furthermore, the word is used in scientific discourse. A theory lacks crédibilité if it cannot be replicated or if the methodology is flawed. Here, it is synonymous with vraisemblance (plausibility) but carries a stronger connotation of being backed by evidence. It is the bridge between a mere claim and an accepted fact.

L'expert a apporté des preuves tangibles, ce qui a augmenté sa crédibilité devant le tribunal.

Economic Context: In finance, a country's crédibilité determines its ability to borrow money at low interest rates. If the markets doubt a government's ability to repay, its crédibilité financière drops, leading to economic instability.

La Banque Centrale Européenne travaille dur pour maintenir sa crédibilité face à l'inflation galopante.

Finally, the word is often paired with verbs like accorder (to grant), perdre (to lose), rétablir (to restore), or remettre en cause (to challenge). These combinations allow for a dynamic description of how trust is built or destroyed in various spheres of French life. Understanding this word is key to following French news and engaging in high-level debates about society and ethics.

Sans crédibilité, un leader ne peut pas inspirer ses troupes ou diriger efficacement.

Using crédibilité correctly involves understanding its role as an abstract noun. It is almost always preceded by a determiner like la, sa, votre, or une. Because it is a feminine noun, any accompanying adjectives must also be feminine. For example, you would say une grande crédibilité (a great credibility) or une crédibilité limitée (limited credibility). It is frequently the object of a verb or the subject of a sentence describing a state of being.

Verb Pairings: Common verbs used with crédibilité include jouir de (to enjoy), manquer de (to lack), and nuire à (to harm). For instance: 'Il jouit d'une excellente crédibilité dans le milieu médical' (He enjoys excellent credibility in the medical field).

Ce manque de transparence nuit gravement à la crédibilité de l'entreprise.

When discussing the loss of trust, French speakers often use the verb entamer (to chip away at / to undermine). If a politician makes a mistake, the press might report that 'son erreur a entamé sa crédibilité.' This suggests that the credibility is not entirely gone but has been significantly damaged. To say it is completely gone, use perdre toute sa crédibilité.

Prepositional Usage: You often see crédibilité followed by the preposition auprès de (with/among) to specify the audience. 'La crédibilité du gouvernement auprès des jeunes' (The government's credibility among young people).

Il est difficile de restaurer sa crédibilité une fois qu'elle a été remise en question.

Another common structure is donner de la crédibilité à something. This is similar to 'giving credit to' or 'lending weight to.' If a famous actor supports a small charity, their involvement donne de la crédibilité à la cause. It helps others believe in the importance or validity of the project. Conversely, to ôter toute crédibilité means to strip away all believability.

Ces contradictions flagrantes ôtent toute crédibilité à votre témoignage.

Adjective Agreement: Remember: 'Une crédibilité scientifique' (feminine), 'Une crédibilité totale' (feminine). Never use the masculine form 'un crédibilité' or 'crédibilité total'.

L'absence de preuves directes affaiblit la crédibilité de cette théorie révolutionnaire.

In summary, crédibilité is a versatile noun that fits into many formal and semi-formal sentence structures. By mastering the verbs that typically accompany it, you can express complex ideas about trust and validity in French with the precision of a native speaker.

Elle a travaillé sans relâche pour acquérir une crédibilité incontestable dans son domaine.

You will encounter the word crédibilité in a variety of high-stakes environments in France. It is a staple of the evening news (le journal de 20h), where anchors discuss the crédibilité of government reforms or international treaties. In the French political landscape, where debate is often vigorous and intellectual, the crédibilité of a candidate is a constant topic of analysis by pundits on channels like BFM TV or France Info.

In the Media: During electoral campaigns, journalists often ask: 'Le candidat a-t-il la crédibilité nécessaire pour gérer l'économie ?' This refers to whether his past actions and current proposals are believable and sound.

Les éditorialistes débattent souvent de la crédibilité des sondages d'opinion avant une élection.

In the legal system, crédibilité is a technical term. During a trial, the crédibilité d'un témoin (the credibility of a witness) is central to the defense and prosecution's strategies. If a witness is caught in a lie, their crédibilité is destroyed, which can change the entire outcome of the case. You will hear lawyers use this term frequently in courtrooms or legal dramas.

In Business: In boardrooms, executives discuss the crédibilité de la marque (brand credibility). If a company is involved in an environmental scandal, they must launch a PR campaign to 'restaurer leur crédibilité' (restore their credibility) with consumers.

L'entreprise a investi des millions pour redonner de la crédibilité à son engagement écologique.

Academic settings also frequently use the term. When a student submits a thesis, the professors evaluate the crédibilité des sources cited. In French universities, citing a Wikipedia page might be seen as 'nuisant à la crédibilité du travail' (harming the credibility of the work). It is a word that signals a high level of intellectual rigor.

La crédibilité de cette étude est remise en cause par de nombreux chercheurs indépendants.

International Relations: Diplomats often speak about the crédibilité de la France on the international stage. This refers to the country's influence and the trust other nations place in its commitments.

Le non-respect des accords internationaux peut gravement nuire à la crédibilité d'un pays.

Finally, you will find crédibilité in literary criticism. A critic might discuss the crédibilité d'un personnage (the believability of a character) in a novel or a film. If a character's actions don't make sense, they lack crédibilité, which can ruin the immersion for the reader or viewer. In every field, this word is the ultimate measure of truth and reliability.

Le réalisateur a soigné les détails historiques pour assurer la crédibilité de son film.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make when using crédibilité is confusing it with its 'false friend' (faux-ami) crédulité. While they look similar, crédulité means 'gullibility'—the tendency to believe things too easily. If you say 'Il a une grande crédulité,' you are calling him naive. If you say 'Il a une grande crédibilité,' you are saying he is trustworthy. This distinction is crucial for clear communication.

Gender Errors: As mentioned before, crédibilité is feminine. Many learners mistakenly use masculine articles or adjectives. Remember: it is always la crédibilité, never le crédibilité. Adjectives must agree: une crédibilité totale, not un crédibilité total.

Incorrect: Son crédibilité est très bon.
Correct: Sa crédibilité est très bonne.

Another error is using the word crédit when you mean crédibilité. While crédit can mean 'trust' or 'influence' in some specific idioms (like accorder du crédit à quelqu'un), crédibilité is the standard noun for the quality of being believable. Crédit more often refers to financial loans or recognition for an achievement. Use crédibilité for the abstract concept of reliability.

Confusion with 'Croyance': Learners sometimes use croyance (belief) when they mean crédibilité. Croyance is what you have (the act of believing), whereas crédibilité is what the source has (the quality that makes you believe).

Ce n'est pas une question de croyance religieuse, c'est une question de crédibilité scientifique.

Finally, don't overuse the word. In very informal settings, French speakers might use on peut lui faire confiance (one can trust him) or c'est du sérieux (it's serious/reliable) instead of the more formal il a de la crédibilité. Using crédibilité in a casual conversation about where to get the best pizza might sound slightly too academic or stiff.

Informal: Tu peux le croire, il est fiable.
Formal: Son témoignage possède une grande crédibilité.

Misusing 'Crédible': The adjective is crédible. Sometimes students try to create a word like 'crédibilité' as an adjective. Remember: 'La source est crédible' (adjective) vs 'La crédibilité de la source' (noun).

Il est important d'utiliser des adjectifs crédibles pour décrire la situation.

In summary, avoid the 'crédulité' trap, watch your feminine agreements, and use the word primarily in formal or professional contexts to sound more natural and precise in your French expression.

Faites attention à ne pas perdre votre crédibilité en faisant des affirmations sans fondement.

While crédibilité is a powerful word, French offers several synonyms and alternatives that can provide more nuance depending on the situation. Understanding these differences will help you choose the most precise term for your context. The most common synonym is fiabilité, but they are not always interchangeable.

Crédibilité vs. Fiabilité: Crédibilité is about being believed (the quality of the message or the person). Fiabilité (reliability) is about being dependable over time. A car is fiable because it doesn't break down; a witness is crédible because you believe their story.

La fiabilité de cette machine est excellente, mais la crédibilité du fabricant est en baisse.

Another related word is légitimité (legitimacy). This refers to whether someone has the right or authority to do something. A leader might have crédibilité because they are smart, but they might lack légitimité if they weren't elected fairly. In many political discussions, these two words go hand-in-hand.

Authority and Weight: Words like autorité and poids (weight) are often used metaphorically. 'Ses paroles ont du poids' means his words have weight/credibility. 'Il fait autorité dans son domaine' means he is a credible authority in his field.

Son autorité sur le sujet renforce la crédibilité de son rapport.

For something that is likely to be true, you can use vraisemblance (plausibility). This is often used in literature or when discussing a story that sounds believable. 'Cette histoire manque de vraisemblance' means the story doesn't sound very credible or likely. It's a slightly more specific term focusing on the narrative itself.

La vraisemblance du scénario est essentielle pour la crédibilité du film.

Truth and Veracity: Véracité (veracity) is the quality of being true or accurate. While crédibilité is about being *believed*, véracité is about being *true*. Sometimes something can be credible but not true, or true but not credible!

On peut douter de la véracité de ses propos, malgré sa crédibilité habituelle.

In summary, choosing between crédibilité, fiabilité, légitimité, and vraisemblance depends on whether you are emphasizing trust, dependability, authority, or plausibility. By mastering these synonyms, you can express yourself with greater precision in any French-speaking environment.

Chaque mot a sa place pour décrire la crédibilité d'une personne ou d'une idée.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The word 'crédibilité' only appeared in French in the 14th century, but it became much more common in the 20th century with the rise of modern media and political science.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /kʁe.di.bi.li.te/

US /kʁe.di.bi.li.te/

Even stress on all syllables, with a slight rise on the final 'té'.

Rhymes With

vérité fierté liberté santé beauté société réalité qualité

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 'r' like an English 'r'.
Making the 'i' sounds too long like 'ee' in 'seed'.
Adding a 'y' sound at the end of 'té'.
Stress on the first syllable.
Muffling the 'd' sound.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Easy to recognize because of the English cognate.

Writing 4/5

Requires correct feminine agreement and accent placement.

Speaking 4/5

The five syllables and uvular 'r' can be tricky for beginners.

Listening 3/5

Distinctive ending '-ité' makes it easy to identify.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

croire vrai dire personne confiance

Learn Next

légitimité fiabilité vraisemblance véracité discrédit

Advanced

épistémologie rhétorique allégation fallacieux probant

Grammar to Know

Nouns ending in '-ité' are feminine.

La crédibilité, la réalité, la liberté.

The preposition 'auprès de' is used for audience.

Sa crédibilité auprès du public.

Adjective agreement with feminine nouns.

Une crédibilité totale.

Use of 'de' after 'manque'.

Un manque de crédibilité.

The verb 'nuire' takes the preposition 'à'.

Cela nuit à sa crédibilité.

Examples by Level

C'est une info avec de la crédibilité.

It's info with credibility.

Focus on the feminine article 'la'.

Sa parole a de la crédibilité.

His/her word has credibility.

'Sa' agrees with 'parole' but 'crédibilité' is also feminine.

La crédibilité est importante.

Credibility is important.

'Importante' is feminine to match 'crédibilité'.

Il n'a pas de crédibilité.

He has no credibility.

Use 'de' after a negation.

Ma mère a une grande crédibilité.

My mother has great credibility.

'Grande' is the feminine form of 'grand'.

Où est la crédibilité ici ?

Where is the credibility here?

A simple question structure.

Le prof a de la crédibilité.

The teacher has credibility.

Using 'de la' for an uncountable quality.

C'est une question de crédibilité.

It's a question of credibility.

A very common fixed expression.

Ce journaliste a perdu sa crédibilité.

This journalist lost his credibility.

'Perdu' is the past participle of 'perdre'.

Il faut garder sa crédibilité au travail.

One must keep one's credibility at work.

'Il faut' + infinitive 'garder'.

Cette histoire manque de crédibilité.

This story lacks credibility.

'Manquer de' is a standard construction.

Elle veut augmenter sa crédibilité.

She wants to increase her credibility.

'Augmenter' means to increase.

La crédibilité de ce site est faible.

The credibility of this site is low.

'Faible' is the adjective for 'weak' or 'low'.

Sans crédibilité, on ne peut pas aider.

Without credibility, one cannot help.

'Sans' followed by a noun without an article.

Nous cherchons des sources avec de la crédibilité.

We are looking for sources with credibility.

Plural 'sources' modified by the prepositional phrase.

Votre crédibilité est votre force.

Your credibility is your strength.

'Votre' is the possessive adjective for 'you' (formal/plural).

Les mensonges répétés nuisent à sa crédibilité.

Repeated lies harm his/her credibility.

'Nuire à' requires the preposition 'à'.

Il a regagné sa crédibilité après ses excuses.

He regained his credibility after his apologies.

'Regagner' means to win back.

La crédibilité du témoin a été remise en question.

The witness's credibility was questioned.

Passive voice: 'a été remise'.

Pour avoir de la crédibilité, il faut des preuves.

To have credibility, one needs evidence.

'Pour' + infinitive to express purpose.

Son manque de crédibilité est un vrai problème.

His lack of credibility is a real problem.

'Manque de' functions as a compound noun phrase.

Elle jouit d'une grande crédibilité dans son quartier.

She enjoys great credibility in her neighborhood.

'Jouir de' is a formal way to say 'to have/enjoy'.

L'expert apporte de la crédibilité au projet.

The expert brings credibility to the project.

'Apporter de la' means to bring/add some.

Comment peut-on tester la crédibilité d'une info ?

How can one test the credibility of a piece of info?

'Comment peut-on' is a formal question structure.

Le scandale financier a entamé la crédibilité du gouvernement.

The financial scandal undermined the government's credibility.

'Entamer' implies starting to damage or chip away.

Il est crucial de maintenir une crédibilité scientifique rigoureuse.

It is crucial to maintain rigorous scientific credibility.

'Rigoureuse' matches the feminine 'crédibilité'.

La crédibilité de la monnaie dépend de la confiance des marchés.

The currency's credibility depends on market confidence.

'Dépendre de' is the standard construction.

Cette décision risque de nuire à votre crédibilité professionnelle.

This decision risks harming your professional credibility.

'Risque de' + infinitive.

L'absence de transparence mine la crédibilité de l'institution.

The lack of transparency undermines the institution's credibility.

'Miner' is a strong synonym for 'to undermine'.

Elle a su asseoir sa crédibilité grâce à ses publications.

She managed to establish her credibility thanks to her publications.

'Asseoir sa crédibilité' is a sophisticated idiom.

La crédibilité d'un argument repose sur sa logique interne.

The credibility of an argument rests on its internal logic.

'Repose sur' means 'rests on' or 'is based on'.

Le rapport de l'ONU donne une nouvelle crédibilité à ces plaintes.

The UN report gives new credibility to these complaints.

'Nouvelle' is feminine for 'new'.

La crédibilité de l'expert fut ébranlée par des révélations compromettantes.

The expert's credibility was shaken by compromising revelations.

Simple past 'fut ébranlée' for formal narrative.

Il s'agit de restaurer la crédibilité de la parole publique.

It's about restoring the credibility of public speech/office.

'Il s'agit de' means 'it is a matter of'.

L'enjeu est de préserver la crédibilité du système judiciaire.

The stake is to preserve the credibility of the judicial system.

'L'enjeu' means 'the stake' or 'what is at risk'.

Sa crédibilité est inversement proportionnelle à son agressivité.

His credibility is inversely proportional to his aggressiveness.

A sophisticated mathematical comparison.

L'argumentaire manque singulièrement de crédibilité empirique.

The argument singularly lacks empirical credibility.

'Singulièrement' adds emphasis (extraordinarily).

La crédibilité d'une menace nucléaire est au cœur de la dissuasion.

The credibility of a nuclear threat is at the heart of deterrence.

'Au cœur de' is a common metaphorical phrase.

Il a fallu des années pour bâtir une telle crédibilité intellectuelle.

It took years to build such intellectual credibility.

'Il a fallu' is the past of 'il faut'.

Toute remise en cause de sa crédibilité serait perçue comme un affront.

Any challenge to his credibility would be perceived as an insult.

Conditional mood 'serait perçue'.

L'érosion de la crédibilité politique nourrit le populisme ambiant.

The erosion of political credibility feeds the surrounding populism.

'Ambiant' refers to the current atmosphere.

La crédibilité du récit est subordonnée à la cohérence du narrateur.

The story's credibility is subordinate to the narrator's consistency.

'Subordonnée à' is a high-level formal construction.

On ne saurait surestimer l'importance de la crédibilité diplomatique.

One cannot overestimate the importance of diplomatic credibility.

'On ne saurait' is a very formal way of saying 'one cannot'.

Sa crédibilité s'est fracassée sur l'écueil de la réalité factuelle.

His credibility shattered against the reef of factual reality.

A highly metaphorical and literary sentence.

L'impératif de crédibilité contraint les acteurs à une transparence totale.

The imperative of credibility forces actors into total transparency.

'Contraint... à' is the formal verb for 'forces/compels'.

La crédibilité de la preuve est au centre des débats épistémologiques.

The credibility of evidence is at the center of epistemological debates.

'Épistémologiques' refers to the theory of knowledge.

Il a su manœuvrer avec habileté pour préserver sa crédibilité médiatique.

He knew how to maneuver skillfully to preserve his media credibility.

'Manœuvrer avec habileté' is a sophisticated phrase.

L'absence de crédibilité de la source invalide d'emblée toute l'étude.

The source's lack of credibility immediately invalidates the entire study.

'D'emblée' means 'from the start' or 'immediately'.

Common Collocations

perdre sa crédibilité

manque de crédibilité

crédibilité scientifique

entamer la crédibilité

restaurer la crédibilité

crédibilité politique

accorder de la crédibilité

source de crédibilité

remettre en cause la crédibilité

crédibilité financière

Common Phrases

Une question de crédibilité

— Used when the most important factor is whether someone is trusted.

C'est une question de crédibilité pour nous.

Jouir d'une grande crédibilité

— To have a very good reputation for being trustworthy.

Elle jouit d'une grande crédibilité auprès de ses pairs.

Nuire à la crédibilité

— To do something that makes people trust a person or thing less.

Cela pourrait nuire à la crédibilité du projet.

Renforcer la crédibilité

— To do something that makes a person or thing more believable.

Ces chiffres renforcent la crédibilité de notre thèse.

Auprès de qui ?

— Often used to ask who the audience for the credibility is.

Il a de la crédibilité auprès de qui ?

Manquer singulièrement de crédibilité

— To be very obviously or strangely unbelievable.

Son excuse manque singulièrement de crédibilité.

Asseoir sa crédibilité

— To firmly establish one's reputation and trust.

Il a assis sa crédibilité par des années de travail.

Oter toute crédibilité

— To remove any possibility of being believed.

Ses erreurs ôtent toute crédibilité à son rapport.

Un gage de crédibilité

— A guarantee or proof of being trustworthy.

Son diplôme est un gage de crédibilité.

Douter de la crédibilité

— To have suspicions about whether something is believable.

Je doute de la crédibilité de cette source.

Often Confused With

crédibilité vs crédulité

Means gullibility, the tendency to believe anything easily.

crédibilité vs crédit

Refers to financial loans or recognition/praise.

crédibilité vs confiance

General trust, often more emotional than 'crédibilité'.

Idioms & Expressions

"Parole d'évangile"

— To take something as absolute truth, reflecting high credibility.

Il prend tout ce qu'elle dit pour parole d'évangile.

informal

"Faire foi"

— To serve as proof or to be authoritative/credible.

Le document original fait foi.

formal

"Accorder du crédit"

— To believe someone or give them credibility.

On ne peut accorder aucun crédit à ses rumeurs.

neutral

"Perdre la face"

— To lose respect or credibility in public.

Il a peur de perdre la face devant ses collègues.

neutral

"Mettre sa main au feu"

— To be so sure of someone's credibility that you'd risk a burn.

Je mettrais ma main au feu qu'il dit la vérité.

informal

"Avoir les reins solides"

— To have the financial or moral strength to maintain credibility.

L'entreprise a les reins solides face à la crise.

informal

"Prendre pour argent comptant"

— To believe something immediately without questioning its credibility.

Ne prends pas tout ce qu'il dit pour argent comptant.

informal

"Donner du poids"

— To add credibility or importance to an argument.

Son témoignage donne du poids à l'accusation.

neutral

"Tomber de haut"

— To be very disappointed when someone's credibility is ruined.

Quand on a appris la vérité, on est tombé de haut.

informal

"Savoir de quoi on parle"

— To be credible because of deep knowledge.

Écoutez-le, il sait de quoi il parle.

informal

Easily Confused

crédibilité vs crédulité

Similar spelling and sound.

Crédibilité is the quality of the source (being believable). Crédulité is the quality of the listener (being naive).

Sa crédulité l'a poussé à croire à cette arnaque, malgré le manque de crédibilité de l'offre.

crédibilité vs fiabilité

Both relate to trust.

Fiabilité is about consistency and performance (reliability). Crédibilité is about the truth of a message or person.

La fiabilité du moteur est prouvée, mais la crédibilité du vendeur est douteuse.

crédibilité vs vraisemblance

Both deal with what seems true.

Vraisemblance is about how 'real' or 'likely' a story seems. Crédibilité is about the trust we have in the teller.

Le film a une bonne crédibilité historique, mais le scénario manque de vraisemblance.

crédibilité vs autorité

Experts have both.

Autorité is power or expertise. Crédibilité is the resulting trust.

Son autorité en médecine lui donne une grande crédibilité.

crédibilité vs légitimité

Often used together in politics.

Légitimité is the legal or moral right to act. Crédibilité is being believed in that role.

Le roi avait la légitimité, mais il avait perdu sa crédibilité.

Sentence Patterns

La crédibilité de [sujet] est [adjectif].

La crédibilité de ce site est bonne.

[Sujet] manque de crédibilité.

Ce témoignage manque de crédibilité.

[Sujet] a perdu sa crédibilité.

Le ministre a perdu sa crédibilité.

Cela nuit à la crédibilité de [nom].

Cela nuit à la crédibilité de l'entreprise.

Il est difficile de restaurer sa crédibilité.

Il est difficile de restaurer sa crédibilité après un tel échec.

Jouir d'une grande crédibilité auprès de [groupe].

Il jouit d'une grande crédibilité auprès de la communauté scientifique.

Remettre en cause la crédibilité de [nom].

L'opposition remet en cause la crédibilité du budget.

L'érosion de la crédibilité [adjectif]...

L'érosion de la crédibilité institutionnelle inquiète les observateurs.

Word Family

Nouns

crédit

créancier

croyance

crédulité

Verbs

croire

créditer

discréditer

Adjectives

crédible

incroyable

crédule

confiance

foi

vérité

preuve

témoignage

How to Use It

frequency

Common in professional and media contexts; less common in very casual daily chat.

Common Mistakes

Un grand crédibilité → Une grande crédibilité
Crédibilité is feminine, so the article and adjective must be feminine.
Il a beaucoup de crédulité → Il a beaucoup de crédibilité
Crédulité means gullibility. Use crédibilité for trustworthiness.
La crédibilité avec le public → La crédibilité auprès du public
In French, we use 'auprès de' to indicate the audience for credibility.
Sa crédibilité est total → Sa crédibilité est totale
Adjectives must agree with the feminine noun 'crédibilité'.
Le crédit du témoin → La crédibilité du témoin
While 'crédit' can mean trust in some idioms, 'crédibilité' is the correct noun for a witness's believability.

Tips

Feminine Ending

Remember that '-ité' is a feminine marker. Always use feminine adjectives: 'une crédibilité renforcée'.

False Friend Alert

Don't say 'crédulité' when you mean 'credibility'. One is a strength, the other is a weakness!

Use Strong Verbs

Instead of just 'avoir de la crédibilité', try 'jouir d'une grande crédibilité' to sound more native.

Political Use

When watching French news, 'crédibilité' is the word they use to judge if a politician's plan will actually work.

Five Syllables

Break it down: cré-di-bi-li-té. Practice saying it slowly until the flow feels natural.

Source Evaluation

In essays, use 'la crédibilité des sources' to show you are thinking critically.

Nuire à

Learn the phrase 'nuire à la crédibilité'. It is the most common way to say 'to hurt credibility'.

Vs. Fiabilité

Use 'crédibilité' for words and 'fiabilité' for actions or objects.

Auprès de

Always remember 'auprès de' for the audience. It sounds much better than 'avec'.

Intellectual Weight

In France, having 'crédibilité' often implies you have the right degrees or experience.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Credit' + 'Ability'. It is your 'ability' to get 'credit' (trust) from others.

Visual Association

Imagine a scale. On one side is a person speaking, and on the other is a heavy weight labeled 'TRUTH'. If they balance, they have 'crédibilité'.

Word Web

Croire Crédit Crédible Fiable Vérité Confiance Preuve Sérieux

Challenge

Try to use 'crédibilité' in a sentence about your favorite news source or a teacher you trust.

Word Origin

Derived from the Latin 'credibilis', meaning 'worthy of belief'. The root is 'credere', which means 'to believe' or 'to trust'.

Original meaning: The state or quality of being believable.

Romance (Latin root).

Cultural Context

Be careful when questioning someone's 'crédibilité' directly, as it can be taken as a serious personal insult in professional settings.

In English, we often use 'credibility' similarly, but French 'crédibilité' can feel slightly more formal and academic.

The 'Crise de la crédibilité' in French politics during the late 20th century. Scientific 'crédibilité' debated during the COVID-19 pandemic on French TV. Literary 'crédibilité' discussed by French critics in 'Le Monde'.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Politics

La crédibilité d'un candidat
Une promesse sans crédibilité
Entamer la crédibilité du gouvernement
Rétablir la crédibilité politique

Science

La crédibilité des résultats
Une étude qui manque de crédibilité
Apporter de la crédibilité scientifique
Remettre en cause la crédibilité d'une théorie

Justice

La crédibilité du témoin
Un témoignage sans crédibilité
Évaluer la crédibilité d'une preuve
Oter toute crédibilité à l'accusation

Business

La crédibilité de la marque
Gagner en crédibilité sur le marché
Un manque de crédibilité professionnelle
La crédibilité d'un business plan

Media

La crédibilité de l'information
Vérifier la crédibilité d'une source
Une perte de crédibilité médiatique
La crédibilité des réseaux sociaux

Conversation Starters

"Penses-tu que les réseaux sociaux ont encore de la crédibilité ?"

"Quelle est, selon toi, la source d'information qui a le plus de crédibilité ?"

"Comment un politicien peut-il regagner sa crédibilité après un scandale ?"

"Est-ce que la crédibilité est plus importante que le talent dans ton métier ?"

"As-tu déjà douté de la crédibilité d'un de tes amis ?"

Journal Prompts

Décrivez une situation où vous avez perdu votre crédibilité et comment vous avez essayé de la retrouver.

Pourquoi la crédibilité est-elle essentielle pour le fonctionnement d'une démocratie moderne ?

Analysez la crédibilité d'un personnage dans votre livre ou film préféré.

Comment les nouvelles technologies influencent-elles notre perception de la crédibilité des images ?

Réfléchissez à la différence entre avoir raison et avoir de la crédibilité.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

It is always feminine in French. You should say 'la crédibilité' or 'une crédibilité'. This is consistent with almost all French nouns ending in '-ité'.

'Confiance' is a general word for trust, often emotional (e.g., trust in a friend). 'Crédibilité' is more specific to being believed or being authoritative, often used in professional or intellectual contexts.

Usually, no. For a machine, you would use 'fiabilité' (reliability). 'Crédibilité' is reserved for people, ideas, sources, or arguments.

The most common way is 'perdre sa crédibilité'. You can also say 'voir sa crédibilité entamée' for a more formal tone.

Yes, 'crédible' means 'credible' or 'believable'. For example: 'Une source crédible'.

'Crédulité' is a false friend for English speakers. it means 'gullibility' or being too ready to believe something without proof.

It is used to specify who trusts the person. 'Sa crédibilité auprès des électeurs' means his credibility among the voters.

Technically yes ('les crédibilités'), but it is almost always used in the singular as it is an abstract concept.

It means 'to challenge' or 'to question' someone's credibility. It is a very common phrase in news and law.

Yes, it is very common in formal discussions, news, and professional environments. It is a key word for anyone at a B2 level or higher.