credited

IPA/ˈkred.ɪt/

KK[krˈɛdətəd]IPA/ˈkred.ɪt/

creditedpresent simple I / you / we / they
crediteds3rd person singular
crediteding-ing form
creditededpast simple

1.verbtransitiveB1

Definition

to add a sum of money to a bank balance or record an amount as having been received in financial accounts.

Example

Anna credited her paycheck to her savings account right after work.

credit + amount + to + account

The bank credited Mr. Ito's account with the refund the next morning.

credit + account + with + amount

Common collocations

credit money to
credit with
credit back
credit directly
automatically credited

Synonyms

deposit
more general; can refer to placing money in any type of account, not just an accounting entry
pay in
British English phrasal verb; less formal than 'credit'

Antonyms

debit
the opposite financial action — to take money out of an account
withdraw
removing money from an account

Grammar Patterns

credit + amount + to + account/person

credit + account/person + with + amount

Usage Note

Frequently used in two patterns: (1) credit + [amount] + to + [account/person], and (2) credit + [account/person] + with + [amount]. The passive form is also common: 'Five hundred dollars was credited to my account.'

Common Mistakes

I credited the money in my account.

I credited the money to my account.

the preposition 'to' is needed to show where the money goes.

The bank credited $100 to me.

The bank credited $100 to my account.

the pattern expects an account, not a person, as the destination.

2.verbtransitiveB2

Definition

to accept something as true when it sounds very surprising or is hard to imagine.

Example

Jude could hardly credit what his cousin was telling him about the accident.

can hardly credit + what-clause

Would you credit it? Lien won the race though she never trained for it!

idiomatic: 'would you credit it' for surprise

Common collocations

hardly credit
can credit
would you credit
refuse to credit

Synonyms

believe
more neutral and common; does not carry the implication of surprise
accept
suggests a more deliberate decision to trust the truth of something

Antonyms

doubt
to feel uncertain about or to question the truth of something
disbelieve
stronger opposite — to refuse to accept as true

Grammar Patterns

credit + that-clause

credit + noun phrase

can hardly credit + noun phrase

Usage Note

Almost exclusively used in negative contexts or questions with 'can', 'could', or 'would'. The affirmative 'I credit that…' is extremely rare. Distinguish from sense ADD MONEY — this sense has nothing to do with finance.

Common Mistakes

I credit what you say.

I can hardly credit what you say.

the affirmative form without 'can/could/would' sounds unnatural in modern English.

1.nounB1

Definition

public approval, praise, or positive recognition that someone earns by doing something well, making a helpful contribution, or acting in an admirable way.

Example

Mizuki received full credit for organising the charity event so smoothly.

receive credit for + gerund

Sales team took credit for the record month, though warehouse staff worked just as hard.

take credit for + noun

Common collocations

take credit for
give credit to
get credit for
deserve credit
receive credit
claim credit
full credit
all the credit

Synonyms

praise
similar in meaning but broader; can refer to spoken or written expression of approval
recognition
focuses on the idea that someone's effort has been noticed and acknowledged
commendation
more formal; often implies official or public praise

Antonyms

blame
responsibility assigned for something negative rather than positive
criticism
expression of disapproval rather than approval

Grammar Patterns

take credit for + noun/gerund

give credit to + person + for + noun/gerund

get credit for + noun/gerund

Usage Note

This sense is uncountable — you cannot say 'a credit' when referring to praise. When you want to say someone deserves praise, use 'credit' without an article: 'She deserves credit.' The countable form 'a credit' belongs to the idiom 'be a credit to someone' (see idioms below).

Common Mistakes

She deserves a credit for her hard work.

She deserves credit for her hard work.

'credit' meaning praise is uncountable and does not take 'a'.

2.nounB1

Definition

an arrangement that allows a customer to receive goods or services immediately and pay for them later, usually with extra charges such as interest added to the original amount.

Example

Antonia used credit to buy her new laptop and paid it off over six months.

use credit to + infinitive

Many furniture stores offer credit to customers who have a steady income.

offer credit to + person

Common collocations

on credit
buy on credit
offer credit
credit limit
line of credit
credit card
credit rating
interest-free credit

Synonyms

deferred payment
more formal; used in official documents and business contexts
installment plan
American English; specifically refers to paying in regular portions over time

Grammar Patterns

on credit

buy + noun + on credit

offer credit

line of credit

Usage Note

Often used in the phrase 'on credit', which describes the method of purchase. 'Credit' in this sense is not the same as 'a loan' — credit is an available line of funds that can be drawn upon repeatedly, whereas a loan is a fixed sum borrowed at once.

Common Mistakes

I paid with credit.

I paid on credit.' or 'I paid by credit.

the correct preposition is 'on' when describing the method of deferred payment.

3.nounB1

Definition

the amount of money that a person or business has available in a bank account, or the positive balance shown in that account.

Example

Amira logged into her online banking to check how much credit she had left.

check credit / how much credit

After the deposit, the account showed a credit of two thousand dollars.

a credit of + amount

Common collocations

in credit
go into credit
a credit of
show a credit
credit balance

Synonyms

balance
the most general term for the amount in an account; can be positive or negative
funds
plural; refers to the money available in an account more broadly

Antonyms

debit
the negative balance or money owed from an account
overdraft
a negative balance that occurs when more money is withdrawn than is available

Grammar Patterns

in credit

credit of + amount

Usage Note

In banking contexts, 'in credit' means the account has a positive balance — the opposite of 'overdrawn' or 'in debit'. This countable use ('a credit of $500') is different from the uncountable use in the PRAISE sense.

Common Mistakes

My account is in the credit.

My account is in credit.

no article is used before 'credit' in this fixed phrase.

4.nounB2

Definition

a unit used by schools, colleges, and universities to measure a student's progress toward completing a programme of study, with each course worth a certain number of credits.

Example

Hari earned twelve credits in his first year of engineering studies.

earn + [number] + credit(s)

Each three-credit course meets twice a week for a full semester.

Common collocations

earn credits
transfer credits
course credit
credit hour
credit toward
require credits
total credits

Synonyms

unit
used in some educational systems, especially in Australia and the UK, instead of 'credit'

Grammar Patterns

earn + credit(s)

credit(s) + toward(s) + degree

credit(s) in + subject

credit hour

Usage Note

Academic credit systems vary by country. In the US, one credit typically equals one hour of class time per week over a semester. The phrase 'credit hour' is common in American English. British English uses 'credit' similarly but the system may differ.

Common Mistakes

I got three credits for that class.

I got three credits for that course.

'course' is the standard word for a unit of study; 'class' can be used informally in American English.

5.nounB2

Definition

the written list shown before or after a film or television show that names everyone involved in its production, including performers, directors, and technical staff.

Example

Sade stayed in the cinema until the end credits had finished rolling.

end credits roll

Mizuki spotted her cousin's name in the opening credits of the new series.

in the opening credits

Common collocations

opening credits
closing credits
end credits
the credits roll
appear in the credits
credit sequence

Synonyms

acknowledgements
used more broadly for any list of people thanked; not specific to films and TV

Grammar Patterns

the credits

in the credits

opening credits

closing/end credits

Usage Note

Almost always used in the plural form 'credits'. 'Credit' in the singular can refer to a single acknowledgement in the list, but 'the credits' as a whole refers to the complete list. The opening credits appear at the start of a production, while the end or closing credits appear at the end.

Common Mistakes

I stayed to watch the credit.

I stayed to watch the credits.

use the plural form when referring to the entire list.

Idioms

do credit to someone / do someone credit

idiom

to make someone or something appear good, admirable, or worthy of praise, usually through one's own positive actions, behaviour, or qualities.

The polished presentation that Amira gave did credit to her entire research team.

The way the young athlete handled the defeat with grace did credit to his coaches.

be a credit to someone / something

idiom

to be a person or thing that causes people to have a positive opinion of the group, organisation, or place that raised, trained, or is associated with them.

Antonia volunteers at the homeless shelter every weekend — she is a credit to her school.

The new playground is a credit to the neighbourhood committee that raised the funds.

to someone's credit

idiom

used to acknowledge that a particular person deserves praise or recognition for a specific achievement, quality, or action, especially one that shows them in a good light.

To Nala's credit, she immediately admitted her mistake and apologised.

The mayor acted quickly to help the flood victims, much to the credit of her administration.

Word family

credit
verbB1
credit
nounB1
creditor
nounB2
credible
adjectiveB2
credibility
nounB2
creditably
adverbC1
credulous
adjectiveC1
credulity
nounC1
incredible
adjectiveB1
incredibly
adverbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Credit, praise, recognition, commendation, and acclaim all relate to positive feedback for someone's achievements or qualities, but they differ in emphasis. Credit (noun/1) focuses on acknowledging someone's specific contribution or responsibility for a success — you give credit where it is due. Praise is broader and can describe any spoken or written expression of approval, from a simple 'well done' to an extended compliment. Recognition emphasises that someone's effort has been noticed and valued, often by an organisation or community (e.g. 'an award in recognition of her service'). Commendation is more formal and implies official or public praise, frequently from an authority figure or committee. Acclaim suggests enthusiastic public approval, often from a wide audience or critics (e.g. 'the film received widespread acclaim'). In everyday use, credit and praise are the most common choices; you would say 'She deserves credit for solving the problem' to highlight her direct role, or 'She received praise for her presentation' to describe the general reaction.

praise ↗recognition ↗commendation ↗acclaim ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

on credit
in credit
to one's credit
give credit where credit is due

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'credit' comes from Latin 'creditum', meaning 'a loan' or 'something entrusted to another'. This in turn comes from the Latin verb 'credere', meaning 'to trust' or 'to believe'. The word entered English through Old French 'credit' in the 16th century. The financial sense ('ability to obtain goods before payment') developed in the 18th century as banking and commerce expanded. The sense of 'praise or recognition' grew from the idea that trustworthiness and good reputation go hand in hand — if you are worthy of credit in money matters, you are also worthy of esteem. The academic credit sense emerged in the late 19th century in American universities, where 'giving credit' for completed coursework borrowed from the accounting idea of recording a positive balance.

First known use

1529

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 3 Verb

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credited

credited — verb

1. to add a sum of money to a bank balance or record an amount as having been recei

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. to accept something as true when it sounds very surprising or is hard to imagine

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

credited — noun

1. public approval, praise, or positive recognition that someone earns by doing som

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. an arrangement that allows a customer to receive goods or services immediately a

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. the amount of money that a person or business has available in a bank account, o

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

4. a unit used by schools, colleges, and universities to measure a student's progre

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

5. the written list shown before or after a film or television show that names ever

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

do credit to someone / do someone credit

be a credit to someone / something

to someone's credit

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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