credibly

Credibly is an adverb that denotes doing or presenting something in a manner that is believable or trustworthy. It is derived from the adjective credible, meaning capable of being believed. The word traces to the Latin credibilis, meaning “to be believed,” through the history of English usage.

In usage, credibly typically modifies verbs, clauses, or sentences to indicate how information or actions are carried out or perceived. In journalism and scholarly writing, statements described as credibly sourced or credibly supported suggest that the evidence or attribution behind them is sufficiently reliable to inspire trust. In everyday language, it can describe the manner in which someone speaks, acts, or presents an argument, signaling that the presentation is persuasive or trustworthy without asserting absolute truth.

Nuance and limits: Credibly implies believability based on available evidence or credibility of sources, not ultimate certainty. Something can be credibly argued or credibly denied even if the ultimate outcome remains contested. The adverb often collocates with verbs such as argued, stated, presented, supported, or alleged, and with adjectives or phrases describing evidence or attribution.

See also: credibility, credible, believability.