remotely credible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "remotely credible" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is only slightly believable or plausible, often in a skeptical context. Example: "The witness's account of the events was so inconsistent that it was hardly remotely credible."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Books

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

32 human-written examples

But it takes great skill to make this story even remotely credible.

The New York Times - Books

Mr. Allen's screenplay doesn't bother to make Val's personal and professional relationships remotely credible.

The New York Times

Could it be made to work well enough to be even remotely credible?

The New Yorker

Sajid Javid, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said: "Ed Balls' promise of discipline on spending isn't remotely credible.

Independent

Longing looks and flowery speeches do not make Pip's overwhelming passion for the chilly Estella remotely credible.

The New York Times

The problem is that Mr. Phillips never manages to make the relationship between Julian and Cait remotely credible.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

Like Faunia Farley in "The Human Stain", there is nothing remotely real or credible about Pegeen.

The Economist

Simon Armitage has written an original poem, "From the Bridge", which touches on "the so-called Manic Street Preachers [who] were neither frenzied, credible or remotely evangelical", while the Argentinian cartoonist Liniers has contributed a graphic art letter to Tom Waits.

The Guardian - Books

The lesson here is that while we would be ecstatic with a 20 or 25 point victory on November 8th there are simply too many unknowns to believe these numbers are credible or even remotely possible.

Huffington Post

There is nothing identified in recent efforts to discredit climate science that remotely changes these fundamental conclusions about climate change and no credible alternative explanation has ever been proposed that explains the science and what we observe around the world.

Huffington Post

The Navy says it has come up with plans to increase its deployments of the latest generation of robotic equipment that can detect and remotely detonate mines as a way to help guarantee a continued — and credible — countermine ability in waters off Iran into next year and beyond, when the number of minesweeping ships on patrol may be reduced.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "remotely credible" when you want to express that something is only slightly believable or plausible. This phrase is especially useful in contexts where skepticism or doubt is present.

Common error

Avoid using "remotely credible" in highly formal or academic writing, as it can sometimes come across as too informal or colloquial. Instead, opt for more neutral alternatives like "slightly believable" or "marginally plausible".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "remotely credible" functions as an adverbial modifier intensifying the adjective "credible". It indicates a very low degree of believability or plausibility. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is typically used to express skepticism or doubt about something.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Books

15%

Opinion

10%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Science

1%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "remotely credible" is a commonly used expression to convey a weak degree of believability or plausibility. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and often used in contexts where skepticism is present. It functions as an adverbial modifier, intensifying the adjective "credible" and is most frequently found in news and media sources. When writing, it's advisable to avoid overusing it in highly formal contexts, opting for more neutral alternatives if necessary. In essence, "remotely credible" is a useful phrase for expressing doubt, but should be employed thoughtfully depending on the context and audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slightly believable

Indicates a low level of credibility, emphasizing a small degree of believability.

barely plausible

Suggests that something is only just possible or believable, with a minimal margin of acceptance.

hardly believable

Emphasizes the difficulty in believing something, implying a strong sense of doubt.

scarcely credible

Highlights the rarity or infrequency of something being believed, indicating skepticism.

faintly believable

Implies a very weak sense of believability, almost to the point of being unbelievable.

marginally credible

Suggests that something barely meets the threshold of credibility, with little room for error.

somewhat believable

Indicates a moderate level of believability, suggesting that something is partially credible.

not entirely implausible

Focuses on the absence of complete impossibility, implying a degree of believability.

vaguely credible

Suggests a lack of clarity or certainty in believability, implying a degree of ambiguity.

questionably believable

Highlights the doubt and uncertainty surrounding the believability of something.

FAQs

How can I use "remotely credible" in a sentence?

You can use "remotely credible" to describe something that is barely believable. For example, "The suspect's alibi was not "remotely credible"."

What are some alternatives to "remotely credible"?

Alternatives include "slightly believable", "barely plausible", or "hardly believable" depending on the context.

Is it more appropriate to say "remotely credible" or "somewhat credible"?

"Remotely credible" implies a weaker degree of believability than "somewhat credible". Use "remotely credible" when you want to express greater skepticism.

What's the difference between "remotely credible" and "not credible"?

"Remotely credible" means there's a very slight chance of being believed, whereas "not credible" indicates no believability whatsoever. Something that is "not credible" is simply unbelievable, while something that is ""remotely credible"" may have a very slim chance of being accepted.