reputable

IPA/ˈrepjətəbl/
KK[rˈɛpjətəbəl]IPA/ˈrepjətəbl/

reputable — adjective

  • reputablepositive
  • more reputablecomparative
  • most reputablesuperlative

1. A reputable person, company, or organization is widely seen as honest and reliab

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

A reputable person, company, or organization is widely seen as honest and reliable because they consistently do good work or follow high standards.

Example

Folake chose a reputable law firm to handle her grandmother's estate.

collocation: reputable + firm / company / organization

The clinic on River Road is a reputable facility with clear, honest billing.

collocation: reputable + clinic / facility

Common collocations
  • reputable company / firm / business
  • reputable school / university
  • reputable charity / organization
  • reputable supplier / dealer / source
  • reputable lawyer / doctor / contractor
  • reputable news outlet / publication
Synonyms
  • respected

    focuses more on general admiration from others, not just honesty

  • well-regarded

    slightly less formal; implies positive opinion from peers

  • trustworthy

    emphasises the reliability and honesty aspect more directly

  • reliable

    broader — can apply to objects and machines, not just people/organizations

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

reputable + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). The type of noun is typically a professional service provider, institution, or business — e.g. firm, school, charity, supplier, dealer.

Common Mistakes

She is a reputable doctor.' (This is correct but less common — 'reputable' for individuals is usually used in a professional context.)
She works at a reputable hospital.
'reputable' is far more frequent with institutions than with individual people.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something or someone that others view positively, but they differ in focus. 'Reputable' is the most institution-oriented: you talk about a reputable company, school, or charity — it is about public reputation built over time. 'Respected' is broader and more personal: a respected teacher or a respected scientist is admired for their skills or character. 'Well-regarded' is similar but slightly less formal and often implies peer opinion rather than public reputation. 'Trustworthy' focuses on the personal quality of being honest and keeping promises — you call a friend trustworthy, not usually reputable. 'Reliable' is the widest of the group: it can apply to people ('a reliable babysitter'), objects ('a reliable car'), and information ('reliable data'). For a business or institution, 'reputable' is the best choice when emphasising public trust, while 'reliable' is better when emphasising consistent performance.

respected ↗well-regardedtrustworthy ↗reliable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

'Reputable' comes from the Latin word 'reputare', which meant 'to think over' or 'to reckon'. It is formed from 're-' (again) and 'putare' (to think, to reckon). The word passed through French ('réputer') into English, where it first meant 'held in high regard' in the 1600s. Today, being 'reputable' means that people have thought well of someone or something for a long time.