CREDULITY Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

credulity

noun

kri-ˈdü-lə-tē

Definition of credulity

as in gullibility

readiness to believe the claims of others without sufficient evidence the quack pushing the phony medicine was taking advantage of the credulity of people hoping for miracle cures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of credulity Forgive the sarcasm, but this season broke my credulity meter months ago. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026 But the idea that athletic departments and their associated fundraising arms should be classified as tax-exempt nonprofits promoting education and amateur sports strains credulity. — Andrew Urbaczewski, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026 These kinds of leaks inevitably inspire breathless credulity on one side and cynical takes about the endless, investment-seeking hype cycle on the other. — Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 31 Mar. 2026 Bollen’s own professional background is in market research, and, being well versed in the ways in which popular credulity is leveraged, she is also equipped to cast skepticism upon research findings whose standards fall short. — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for credulity

Recent Examples of Synonyms for credulity

Noun

With no way to secure this crucial boundary, Microsoft and its peers are left to erect complicated and ad hoc guardrails designed to rein in the consequences of this incurable gullibility.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026
Their bond — both are outsiders who suffered abuse as children — is one of the few emotional soft spots in the otherwise fast-moving series about America’s rotten power structure, manipulative media and the gullibility of the public.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026

Definition of gullibility

Noun

For many Colombians, the attack on Uribe Turbay shattered the belief that the country had largely left behind the era when presidential candidates routinely became targets of political violence.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
As the league emerges from this summer of soccer, however, there is a strong belief that missing the immediate moment shouldn’t mean missing the bigger picture.

— Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of belief

Noun

Instead of diluting its elite credibility to reach a broader audience, the brand translated that credibility into environments where the average person could understand its every day relevance.

— Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
The eyewitness account was so descriptive that researchers gave it their highest level of credibility.

— CBS New York Team, CBS News, 31 July 2026

Definition of credibility

Browse Nearby Words

credos

credulity

credulous

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Credulity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/credulity. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of credulity

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on credulity

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

mitigate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes