decrease the credibility

USAGE SUMMARY

"decrease the credibility" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something is making a statement or situation less believable or trustworthy. For example, you could say, "The inconsistencies in the report decreased the credibility of the witness's testimony."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

There are some who argue that any limits on the United States' freedom to use nuclear weapons automatically decrease the credibility of deterrence threats.

The Washington Post

Researchers Suggest It's Money"), it can also decrease the credibility of poorly understood medical conditions like complex regional pain syndrome ("Doctors Struggle to Treat Mysterious and Unbearable Pain"), which are often dismissed as psychosomatic.

The New York Times

Some parents expressed the desire to be able to update the care plan themselves while some HCPs felt this would decrease the credibility of the document.

BMC Pediatrics

Using 'childish' tactics, such as shouting "Shut Up," will only decrease the credibility of your argument.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

This decreases the credibility of the evaluators and the process itself.

Applied Soft Computing

That leads us to the research problem - once CSR is seen as a tool for marketing and PR, the credibility of the company will decrease, which in return decreases the credibility of the CSR reports and CSR as a concept (Fassin and Buelens 2011; Brande 2010).

Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research

Moreover, the heterogeneity of the surgical techniques and the multicenter nature of the study decreased the credibility of the results.

BioMed Research International

The absence of government credibility not only increases uncertainty and risk in both the private health care institution and the PPP operation, but also decreases the credibility of the public health care institution.

Health Research Policy and Systems

Future investigations of the phylogenetic placement of other magnoliid fossils will likely provide additional minimum age constraints, which could push back in time several young estimates supported in the present study, and decrease the size of the credibility intervals.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Controversies weaken the organisers' credibility, and decrease the educational effect of the programme.

BMC Health Services Research

Decrease demand, increase supply, decrease the price.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "decrease the credibility", ensure that the subject causing the decrease is clearly identified to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "decrease the credibility" when a more nuanced term like "question" or "challenge" would be more accurate. Overstating the impact can undermine your own credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decrease the credibility" functions as a verb phrase. As shown in the Ludwig examples, it typically connects a subject (an action, event, or statement) with its effect on the believability or trustworthiness of something else (an account, a person's word, etc.). Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "decrease the credibility" is a grammatically sound and usable verb phrase that expresses a reduction in believability or trustworthiness. While not extremely frequent, it appears across various contexts, including news media, scientific publications, and general writing. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and suitable for use. Alternatives such as "undermine the credibility" or "damage the credibility" offer nuanced variations in meaning. When employing this phrase, ensure the subject causing the decrease is clear and avoid overstating the impact to maintain your own credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

undermine the credibility

This alternative suggests a more active weakening of credibility.

damage the credibility

This alternative implies a harmful impact on credibility.

erode the credibility

This alternative suggests a gradual decline in credibility.

weaken the credibility

This alternative indicates making the credibility less strong.

compromise the credibility

This alternative suggests a situation where credibility is put at risk.

lessen the credibility

This alternative is a more formal way of saying "decrease".

reduce the believability

This alternative focuses on the aspect of being believable.

cast doubt on the credibility

This alternative emphasizes introducing uncertainty.

impair the credibility

This alternative suggests a hindering effect on credibility.

discount the credibility

This alternative suggests disregarding or minimizing credibility.

FAQs

How can I use "decrease the credibility" in a sentence?

You can use "decrease the credibility" to show that something is making a statement or situation less believable. For example, "The inconsistencies in his story "decrease the credibility" of his alibi".

What are some alternatives to "decrease the credibility"?

Some alternatives include "undermine the credibility", "damage the credibility", or "erode the credibility" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "reduce the credibility" or "decrease the credibility"?

"Reduce the credibility" and "decrease the credibility" are largely interchangeable. "Reduce" might sound slightly more natural in some contexts, but both are grammatically correct and understandable.

What factors can "decrease the credibility" of a source?

Factors that can "decrease the credibility" of a source include bias, lack of evidence, inconsistencies, and a history of inaccurate reporting.