Meaning & use
credential
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Meanings
nounusually plural
A qualification, experience or achievement that shows a person is suited to a job or has authority.
Grammar: Mostly credentials: her credentials are impressive.
Patterns
- credentials for something
- academic credentials
Her credentials as a teacher were checked before she was hired.
The candidate had strong credentials in finance.
He lacked the credentials to lead the research team.
nounusually plural
A document, such as a certificate or letter, proving a person's identity or right to do something.
Grammar: Often in the phrase present your credentials.
Patterns
- present credentials
- verify credentials
The guard asked the reporter to show his credentials.
The ambassador presented her credentials to the president.
The teacher's credentials were displayed on the office wall.
nounusually pluralcomputing
Login details, such as a user name and password, used to prove who you are on a computer system.
Grammar: Almost always credentials in this computing sense.
Patterns
- login credentials
- enter credentials
Never share your login credentials with anyone.
The hackers stole thousands of user credentials.
Please enter your credentials to continue.
Word forms
| plural | credentials |
|---|
Common combinations
- academic credentials
- His academic credentials include a doctorate in biology.
- establish credentials
- She had to establish her credentials before anyone listened.
- login credentials
- The website asks for login credentials before the page opens.
- press credentials
- Reporters must wear press credentials at the summit.
- check someone's credentials
- The agency will check her credentials this week.
- impeccable credentials
- The auditor had impeccable credentials.
Synonyms and how they differ
- qualification
- A qualification is a specific degree or test passed, while credentials can include experience and proof of identity as well.
- certification
- Certification means an official certificate that proves you passed something, narrower than credentials.
- accreditation
- Accreditation usually means official approval of an institution or program, not an individual's record.
- authorization
- Authorization is the permission itself, whereas credentials are the evidence that you deserve it.
Word family
- credential verb
- to give someone official qualification papers; used mostly in education
- credentialed adjective
- having official qualifications
- credence noun
- belief that something is true
- credible adjective
- believable or trustworthy
Commonly confused: credential or credibility? credential or credit?
credential vs credibility
Credibility is how believable someone is; credentials are the proof that may create it.
credential vs credit
Credit can mean praise or borrowed money, and has no special link to proof of qualification.
Practice
Before the conference, the organizers asked each speaker to submit ___ showing their expertise.
Choose one answer.
Credentials are evidence of qualification, which suits proving expertise. Credits and creditors relate to money, and credulity means gullibility.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “credential”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.