What does credibly mean?
"Credibly" is an adverb meaning in a way that can be believed or trusted. It describes actions, statements, or accounts that carry genuine weight because they are plausible, reliable, or backed by evidence — a witness may testify credibly, a journalist may credibly report a claim, and a researcher may credibly argue a conclusion. The word carries a connotation of careful judgment: to say something was "credibly alleged" implies the allegation survived scrutiny rather than being dismissed outright. A secondary sense uses the word to mean adequately or respectably, as when a team performs credibly against stronger opposition. Formed from the adjective "credible" plus the adverbial suffix -ly, it traces back to Latin credere, meaning to believe or trust — the same root behind credit, credential, and creed. Because it sits so close in form to "incredibly," which now usually means extremely, writers should take care not to confuse the two.
In a way that can be believed or trusted; plausibly or convincingly.
"The report credibly linked the outbreak to contaminated water supplies."
Especially common in legal and journalistic writing, where it signals that a claim has been found plausible upon examination.
To a believable degree; adequately or respectably, especially in performance.
"The debutant bowled credibly on a difficult pitch."
A less common sense, typically paired with verbs such as perform, argue, or compete.
Swap one tiny syllable and "credibly" flips into its own opposite: "incredibly" once meant 'not believably' before it came to mean 'amazingly'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of credibly
"Credibly" derives from the adjective "credible" combined with the adverbial suffix -ly. "Credible" comes from the Latin credibilis, meaning worthy of belief, which itself derives from credere, 'to believe or trust.' The same Latin verb underlies English words such as credit, credential, and creed, all of which carry the core idea of belief or trustworthiness.
Related word forms
How credibly is actually used
"Credibly" belongs chiefly to formal registers — journalism, law, academic writing — where the trustworthiness of claims matters. In legal and journalistic contexts it often signals that an accusation or report has been judged plausible after scrutiny. Its secondary use ('adequately, respectably') is somewhat less common and typically appears with verbs of performance.
Easily confused with credibly
"Credibly" means in a believable or trustworthy way, while "incredibly" means extremely or unbelievably — nearly opposite in sense.