credibility gap

noun

1. a lack of popular confidence in the truth of the claims or public statements made by the federal government, large corporations, politicians, etc.:

   a credibility gap between the public and the power company.

2. a perceived discrepancy between statements and actual performance or behavior.

credibility gap

noun

1. a disparity between claims or statements made and the evident facts of the situation or circumstances to which they relate

Word History and Origins

Origin of credibility gap¹

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70

Idioms and Phrases

Distrust of a public statement or position, as in The current credibility gap at City Hall is the result of miscommunication between the mayor's office and the press . This term originated about 1960 in connection with the American public's disinclination to believe government statements about the Vietnam War. It soon was extended to individuals and corporations as well as government agencies to express a lack of confidence in the truth of their statements, or perception of a discrepancy between words and actions.