discredit

discredit — verb

1. to harm the good name or public trust that a person, group, or idea once held, s

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to harm the good name or public trust that a person, group, or idea once held, so that others lose confidence in them

Example

Sirin's careless mistakes discredited her in the eyes of the entire team.

transitive with personal object

Jin's investigation discredited the senator's claims about public spending.

Common collocations
  • discredit a theory
  • discredit someone's reputation
  • discredit a claim
  • discredit a witness
Synonyms
  • undermine

    weaker — suggests gradual damage rather than sudden loss of trust

  • disgrace

    stronger — implies public shame, often due to immoral behaviour

  • tarnish

    used metaphorically for reputations; less formal and less severe

Antonyms
  • credit

    to give someone recognition for good work or qualities

  • vindicate

    to prove that someone was right after doubts were raised

Grammar Patterns

discredit + noun phrase

discredit + noun phrase + by + gerund

Usage Note

Common in formal and journalistic contexts. The object is typically an institution, a person's reputation, a theory, or an idea. Often used with 'by' to show how the harm was done.

Common Mistakes

She discredited the cake because it tasted bad.
She discredited the study because the methods were flawed.
'Discredit' applies to things that carry authority or trust (reputations, claims, institutions), not to simple personal preferences about food.

2. to decide that a statement, claim, or piece of information is not true, especial

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to decide that a statement, claim, or piece of information is not true, especially after careful thought or examination of the facts

Example

The court discredited the witness's statement after video evidence appeared.

judicial context: court discrediting testimony

Tara discredited the online rumour by tracing it back to a fake account.

Common collocations
  • discredit evidence
  • discredit a witness
  • discredit a rumour
  • discredit a claim
Synonyms
  • disbelieve

    more common in everyday use; can be less formal

  • refute

    narrower — specifically means to prove something is false with evidence

  • reject

    broader — can mean to simply refuse without giving reasons

Antonyms
  • accept

    to believe something as true

  • believe

    to trust that something is true or accurate

Grammar Patterns

discredit + noun phrase

discredit + noun phrase + by + noun phrase/gerund

Usage Note

Formal register; less common than 'disbelieve'. Typically implies a reasoned rejection based on evidence rather than a simple unwillingness to believe. Common in legal and academic contexts.

Common Mistakes

I discredited his excuse because I didn't like him.
The panel discredited his excuse after finding proof that he was lying.
'Discredit' in this sense requires factual grounds for rejection, not personal feelings.

discredit — noun

Word family

  • discreditable
    adjectiveC1
  • discreditably
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words involve damaging someone's standing or the truth of an idea, but they differ in force and focus. 'Discredit' is the most neutral and specific — it focuses on the loss of trust or credibility. 'Undermine' suggests gradual weakening rather than outright damage: a series of small leaks can undermine confidence, but a single scandal discredits. 'Disgrace' is far stronger, implying public shame and moral failure — a disgraced politician usually resigns, while a discredited one may simply lose influence. 'Tarnish' is metaphorical and milder, often used for reputations that have been slightly stained rather than destroyed. 'Debunk' is specific to ideas and myths — it means to prove something false, whereas 'discredit' can apply to both people and ideas. For example: new evidence debunked the myth, but the scientist who promoted it was discredited.

discredit ↗undermine ↗disgrace ↗tarnishdebunk

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • bring discredit on/upon
  • to someone's discredit
  • discredit someone in the eyes of others

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Discredit was formed in the mid-16th century by adding the prefix dis- (meaning 'away, opposite of') to the word 'credit' (meaning 'belief, trust'). It came into English from French désaccréditer, where dés- (a negative prefix) was added to accréditer ('to accredit' or 'to authorise'). The core idea has always been about removing the trust or good standing that someone or something once had.