credible

/ˈkɹɛdəbl̩/

//ˈkɹɛdəbl̩// adj

"credible" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“credible” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,027 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#10,027
frequency rank, English
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Believable or plausible.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

credible vs crucible
75% similar
credible vs credibly
88% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for credible
PropertyValue
Headwordcredible
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈkɹɛdəbl̩/
Letters8
Frequency rank#10,027
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “credible” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). credible lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for credible is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɹɛdəbl̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,027 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for credible, with forms such as "ccredible", "cerdible", and "crdeible". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "crucible", "credibly", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English credible, borrowed from Middle French credible, from Latin crēdibilis (“worthy of belief”), from crēdō (“believe”); see credit. The correct English form is credible, spelled C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Believable or plausible.
  2. 2
    Dependable, trustworthy, or reliable.
  3. 3
    Authentic or convincing.

Etymology

From Middle English credible, borrowed from Middle French credible, from Latin crēdibilis (“worthy of belief”), from crēdō (“believe”); see credit.

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccredible,cerdible,crdeible,credable,credbile,creddible,credibble,credibel,crediblle,credilbe,creidble,crredible,rcedible

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of credible - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ccredible1cerdible2crdeible2credable1credbile2creddible1credibble1credibel2
Edit distance from "credible"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "credible"?
"credible" is spelled C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɹɛdəbl̩/.
What does "credible" mean?
As an adjective, "credible" means: Believable or plausible.
What words are commonly confused with "credible"?
"credible" is commonly confused with "crucible", "credibly". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "credible"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "credible" is /ˈkɹɛdəbl̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "credible"?
From Middle English credible, borrowed from Middle French credible, from Latin crēdibilis (“worthy of belief”), from crēdō (“believe”); see credit. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “credible”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɹɛdəbl̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “crucible” - see the side-by-side comparison. credible vs crucible
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list