bounds of credibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bounds of credibility" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the limits or thresholds of what is considered believable or plausible in a given context. Example: "The story he told was so outrageous that it pushed the bounds of credibility."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

At times he pushes at the bounds of credibility.

The Guardian - Books

This season pushed the bounds of credibility — never more so than when a cellphone was involved.

The New York Times

Now, with his latest gambit, he's overstepped the bounds of credibility.

The New York Times - Magazine

You can milk a situation for all its comedic potential as long as you remain within the bounds of credibility.

Independent

This isn't "magical realism": it's all within the bounds of earthly possibility, if not within the bounds of credibility.

The Guardian - Books

Regardless, I say, it is important, at least, for fiction to be plausible even if it stretches the bounds of credibility.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

An alternative prebiotic phosphorylation of 2-thiouridine leads to the formation of its 5′-phosphate, showing that hypotheses in which 2-thiouridine was a key component of early RNA sequences are within the bounds of synthetic credibility.

Nature

Using a Bayesian latent variable model, we show that the pattern of correlations among tasks is consistent with the existence of a general factor accounting for a small but significant proportion of the variance in each task (the lower bounds of 95% Bayesian credibility intervals for correlations between g and task performance all exceed 0.12).

Plosone

Using normal or log-normal distributions instead of beta distributions for stand-level analysis is inappropriate because the asymptotic tails of these distributions inevitably involve the generation of pseudo-random values that are well beyond the bounds of experience, raising issues of credibility.

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

Hopefully, enough people have watched enough Nazivision to see that this sad, belligerent effort to protect Obama's credibility strains the bounds of credulity.

The Guardian - Opinion

He shot an eventful 73, clubbing the ball out of bounds on the first before gradually clawing himself back to some kind of credibility.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bounds of credibility" to critically assess information and claims, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between plausibility and certainty.

Common error

Avoid using "bounds of credibility" in situations where the lack of believability is already evident. Save the phrase for scenarios requiring a more nuanced assessment of plausibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bounds of credibility" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often acting as the object of a verb (e.g., stretches, pushes). As Ludwig AI suggests, this phrase describes the limits of what is considered believable or plausible.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "bounds of credibility" is a noun phrase used to define the limits of believability, commonly found in News & Media and Science contexts. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct. It serves to express doubt or skepticism, and while relatively neutral in tone, it leans towards a more formal register. Related phrases include "limits of believability" and "threshold of plausibility". When using it, ensure the context is clear and the assessment of believability is nuanced, avoiding overuse in obvious situations. "Bounds of credibility" is useful for critically assessing claims and emphasizing the need to distinguish between what is plausible and what is certain.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

limits of believability

Focuses on the extent to which something can be believed.

threshold of plausibility

Highlights the point at which something is considered plausible.

limits of plausibility

Emphasizes the restrictions on what can be deemed plausible.

edge of believability

Suggests something is only just believable.

verge of credibility

Indicates something is nearing the point of being unbelievable.

stretch of the imagination

Implies a requirement for significant imaginative interpretation to be believed.

beyond the pale

Suggests something is unacceptable or outrageous.

hard to swallow

Indicates something is difficult to believe or accept.

tests the limits of belief

Emphasizes that something challenges what is considered believable.

strains credulity

Highlights the difficulty in believing something.

FAQs

How can I use "bounds of credibility" in a sentence?

You can use "bounds of credibility" to describe situations where something is difficult to believe. For example: "The story he told stretched the "bounds of credibility"."

What's a similar phrase to "bounds of credibility"?

Similar phrases include "limits of believability", "threshold of plausibility", and "limits of plausibility".

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "bounds of credibility"?

It's appropriate when you want to express that something is at the edge of being believable or acceptable, often implying that it's difficult to accept as true or reasonable.

What is the difference between "bounds of credibility" and "bounds of possibility"?

"Bounds of credibility" refers to the limits of what is believable, while "bounds of possibility" refers to the limits of what is achievable or feasible. Credibility relates to believability, while possibility relates to feasibility.