credulity: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal
Quick answer
What does “credulity” mean?
A tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true, often without proper evidence.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true, often without proper evidence.
The state of being willing to believe or trust too readily, especially in the context of deception or improbable claims; gullibility.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage between British and American English.
Connotations
Uniformly negative, suggesting foolishness or naivety.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties; more common in formal, literary, or academic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “credulity” in a Sentence
exploit someone's credulityplay on someone's credulitystrain credulitytest the credulity ofVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “credulity” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The con artist preyed upon their credulity.
American English
- The scheme targeted the credulity of the elderly.
adverb
British English
- He credulously accepted the outlandish tale.
American English
- They nodded credulously at the salesman's pitch.
adjective
British English
- His credulous nature made him an easy target.
American English
- She was far too credulous about the online offer.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in warnings about fraud: 'The scam exploited the credulity of inexperienced investors.'
Academic
Common in philosophy, psychology, sociology, and media studies discussing belief systems, misinformation, and manipulation.
Everyday
Uncommon. Used for emphasis: 'The story was so far-fetched, it stretched my credulity.'
Technical
Used in logic and rhetoric to describe a logical fallacy (appeal to credulity).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “credulity”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “credulity”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “credulity”
- Confusing 'credulity' (noun) with 'credulous' (adjective). Incorrect: 'He was very credulity.' Correct: 'He was very credulous.' / 'His credulity was astonishing.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Credulity' is a noun meaning the state or quality of being gullible. 'Credulous' is an adjective describing a person who is too ready to believe.
It is almost exclusively negative, implying a lack of critical judgement and a vulnerability to being deceived.
"Strain credulity" or "stretch credulity," meaning to make something very hard to believe.
Yes, 'incredulity' means unwillingness or inability to believe something, representing scepticism, the opposite of gullibility.
A tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true, often without proper evidence.
Credulity is usually formal in register.
Credulity: in British English it is pronounced /krɪˈdʒuː.lə.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /krəˈduː.lə.t̬i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a strain on credulity”
- “beggar belief/credulity”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CREDulous + ITY. 'Cred' relates to belief (as in 'creed', 'credit'). Credulity is the *quality* (-ity) of being too ready to believe.
Conceptual Metaphor
CREDULITY IS A CONTAINER (straining, stretching, exceeding its limits); CREDULITY IS A RESOURCE (to be exploited, tapped into).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST definition of 'credulity'?