Meaning & use
discreditable
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivenot comparableformal
Causing loss of respect or good reputation; not honorable.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb.
Patterns
- discreditable conduct
- discreditable to someone
The politician's discreditable behavior during the campaign shocked many voters.
It was discreditable of the company to hide the safety report.
Such discreditable actions brought shame on the whole team.
Common combinations
- discreditable conduct
- The judge described the lawyer's discreditable conduct as unacceptable.
- discreditable behavior
- His discreditable behavior at the party embarrassed his friends.
- discreditable to someone
- The scandal was discreditable to everyone involved.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shameful
- Stronger and more emotional; often suggests moral outrage rather than just damage to reputation.
- dishonorable
- Focuses on lack of honesty or moral principles, while discreditable focuses on the effect on reputation.
- disgraceful
- More intense and often used of shocking public behavior; discreditable is more neutral and formal.
Opposites
Word family
- discredit verb
- To damage someone's reputation or make something seem untrue.
- discreditably adverb
- In a way that causes loss of reputation.
Commonly confused: discreditable or discredited?
discreditable vs discredited
Discredited means 'no longer respected or believed' (e.g., a discredited theory), while discreditable means 'causing loss of respect'.
Practice
The report described the official's ______ dealings with the contractor as a betrayal of public trust.
Choose one answer.
The adjective 'discreditable' describes dealings that damage reputation. 'Discredited' means no longer respected, which does not fit the active sense; 'discrediting' is a participle and would need a different structure; 'discreditably' is an adverb and cannot modify the noun 'dealings'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “discreditable”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.