creditable effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "creditable effort" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to acknowledge someone's commendable or praiseworthy attempt at a task or project. Example: "Despite the challenges faced, the team put forth a creditable effort in completing the project on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

They're six over for the tournament, which is a creditable effort.

The Guardian - Sport

That said, Tesco has clearly spent a lot of time trying to mimic Doritos' "tangy cheese" and, while it hasn't quite nailed it, this is a creditable effort.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But for a President with an approval rating of forty-six per cent, who has spent much of the past three years being smacked around, and who knows his reëlection bid depends far more on what happens to the unemployment rate than on anything he might say, it was a creditable effort.

The New Yorker

It was to prove the final delivery of the day, and it left West Indies in good spirits for Cook's hundred had held together an innings that will be resumed on 240 for seven, a creditable effort from the West Indies bowlers on what is easily the best pitch of the series.

The Guardian - Sport

As for Jobs, well, it's a creditable effort with a lot of good things in it.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

The rock biography has been largely supplanted these days by the rock autobiography: this year has seen variously creditable efforts from Elvis Costello, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Belle & Sebastian's Stuart David and Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein.

Independent

And we've seen some creditable efforts throughout this past year to do just that (alongside some terrible examples of conspiracy theories that border on crazy, masquerading in some media outlets as 'explanation').

Huffington Post

Flawed as the play is, it is a creditable early effort.

The New York Times

Back in wolves' clothing, Los Lobos released Colossal Head (Warner, 1996), a creditable but disjointed effort on which fiery rockers ("Mas y Mas") sat alongside more avant-garde numbers, such as the title track.

The New Yorker

More creditable were his efforts to suppress fraudulent banking schemes, mail swindles, and medical quackery.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Vocalists too were incorporated into the choreography, their brave efforts rendering creditable results.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "creditable effort" to acknowledge attempts that are respectable and praiseworthy, even if they don't achieve complete success. This shows balanced recognition of both effort and outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "creditable effort" when describing overwhelmingly successful outcomes. Reserve it for situations where the effort was good despite some shortcomings or challenges. For resounding successes, use stronger terms like "outstanding achievement" or "remarkable accomplishment".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "creditable effort" functions as an adjective-noun combination that describes the quality of an attempt or undertaking. It serves to commend or acknowledge the positive aspects of the effort, even if the outcome is not entirely successful. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "creditable effort" is a correct and usable expression to describe an attempt or undertaking worthy of recognition, even if not entirely successful. Predominantly found in News & Media, it serves to commend and acknowledge positive aspects. While grammatically sound, with Ludwig AI confirming its validity, it is a relatively rare expression. For similar meanings, one can use "commendable attempt" or "praiseworthy endeavor". However, avoid using "creditable effort" for describing resounding successes; reserve it for situations where challenges were present.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

commendable attempt

Replaces "effort" with "attempt", emphasizing the act of trying, which might be slightly weaker than a sustained effort.

praiseworthy endeavor

Substitutes both words for synonyms, lending a slightly more formal and positive tone.

notable achievement

Shifts the focus from the exertion to the positive outcome, implying success.

respectable performance

Changes the focus to the quality of the execution, suitable in contexts like sports or artistic displays.

worthy undertaking

Emphasizes the value or importance of the task itself, rather than the quality of the execution.

meritorious action

Highlights the deserving nature of the deed, often implying moral value or significant impact.

laudable feat

Implies that the accomplishment was difficult and worthy of admiration.

admirable undertaking

Swaps "effort" for "undertaking", suggesting a planned or organized project.

decent try

Offers a more casual and less formal alternative, downplaying the significance of the result.

reasonable attempt

Indicates that the attempt was adequate or acceptable, but not necessarily exceptional.

FAQs

What does "creditable effort" mean?

A "creditable effort" means that someone has put in a respectable and praiseworthy attempt, even if the result wasn't perfect. It acknowledges the positive qualities of the attempt itself.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "creditable effort"?

Use "creditable effort" when you want to commend someone's attempt, especially when facing challenges or when the outcome is not entirely successful, but the attempt itself was worthy of praise.

What are some alternatives to saying "creditable effort"?

You can use alternatives like "commendable attempt", "praiseworthy endeavor", or "respectable performance" depending on the specific context.

How does "creditable effort" differ from "outstanding achievement"?

"Creditable effort" acknowledges a praiseworthy attempt even with less-than-perfect results, while "outstanding achievement" focuses on a remarkable and highly successful outcome. They are used in different contexts to describe varying degrees of success.