credulity

noun

cre·​du·​li·​ty kri-ˈdü-lə-tē How to pronounce credulity (audio)
-ˈdyü-
: readiness or willingness to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence
Her description of the event strains credulity.

Examples of credulity in a Sentence

the quack pushing the phony medicine was taking advantage of the credulity of people hoping for miracle cures
Recent Examples on the Web In less assured hands, the combination of genres might have backfired terribly, but director Alan Gibson shepherds the production through its various tones without ever straining credulity in a way that impedes the entertainment value. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2023 The Oslo Accords, signed in the nineties by Yitzhak Rabin, were also an act of pathetic credulity. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2024 For regular guy Ronald Gladden, what seems initially like a mundane process soon delves into people testing his limits of credulity within the legal setting. Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023 Still, Going Infinite is not actually the work of drooling credulity that Lewis’ most astringent critics see it as. Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 5 Oct. 2023 The blues is a mythological genre, smuggling wisdom inside tales of evils and exploits which sometimes strain credulity. Hanif Abdurraqib, The New Yorker, 2 Oct. 2023 Still, spreads ranging from $50,000 to $180,000 for a reporter job or $197,000 to $366,000 for a VP of marketing strained credulity. WIRED, 18 Sep. 2023 Even so, the broad flourishing of these stores can nonetheless challenge credulity. Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 22 June 2023 The Biden administration is pushing the boundaries of law and credulity by pressuring states to continue making these payments to insurers. Brian Blase, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'credulity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see credulous

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of credulity was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near credulity

Cite this Entry

“Credulity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/credulity. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

credulity

noun
cre·​du·​li·​ty kri-ˈd(y)ü-lət-ē How to pronounce credulity (audio)
: a willingness to believe statements especially on little or no evidence

More from Merriam-Webster on credulity

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