discredit

[ dis-kred-it ]

verb (used with object)

1. to injure the credit or reputation of; defame:

   an effort to discredit honest politicians.

   Synonyms: undermine, tarnish, disgrace, disparage

2. to show to be undeserving of trust or belief; destroy confidence in:

   Later research discredited earlier theories.

3. to give no credence to; disbelieve:

   There was good reason to discredit the witness.

noun

1. loss or lack of belief or confidence; disbelief; distrust:

   His theories met with general discredit.

2. loss or lack of repute or esteem; disrepute.
3. something that damages a good reputation:

   This behavior will be a discredit to your good name.

discredit

/ dɪsˈkrɛdɪt /

verb

1. to damage the reputation of
2. to cause to be disbelieved or distrusted
3. to reject as untrue or of questionable accuracy

noun

1. a person, thing, or state of affairs that causes disgrace
2. damage to a reputation
3. lack of belief or confidence

Other Words From

• undis·credit·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of discredit¹

First recorded in 1550–60; dis- ¹ + credit

Example Sentences

Moscow has introduced a new law against “discrediting the Russian armed forces,” which has made some victims of crimes by veterans afraid to report them.

From BBC

Among the topics discussed at the hearing was Texas' junk science law, which lets inmates challenge convictions based on later discredited science.

From BBC

In recent years, he has gained prominence in the US for making the discredited claim that childhood immunisations are linked to autism.

From BBC

This sense of competition and the tendency to discredit and shut out other women might be a feature in Hollywood and not a bug, Sweeney said.

From Los Angeles Times

Again, he doesn’t concern himself with the elaborate details of this or that discredited election-fraud conspiracy theory.

From Salon

Related Words

• defame
• degrade
• destroy
• disgrace
• disparage
• disprove
• ruin
• slander
• smear
• vilify