reputation

noun

rep·u·ta·tion ˌre-pyə-ˈtā-shən

Synonyms of reputation next

: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general

: recognition by other people of some characteristic or ability

has the reputation of being clever

: a place in public esteem or regard : good name

trying to protect his reputation

reputational

ˌre-pyə-ˈtā-shnəl

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

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An esteemed word in English, reputation rose to fame during the 14th century and ultimately traces back to the Latin verb reputare, meaning "to take into consideration" or "to think over." Reputare is itself a coupling of the well-known "again" prefix re- and the verb putare, "to reckon." Renowned celebrities of the putare family are the verb repute ("to believe or consider"), the identical noun (synonymous with reputation), the adjectives reputable and reputed, and the adverb reputedly. Other putare cousins of notoriety include dispute, disreputable, imputation, and putative, along with their kin.

Examples of reputation in a Sentence

He has earned a reputation as a first-class playwright. a teacher with a reputation for patience Poor customer service has ruined the company's reputation.

Recent Examples on the Web And the estimates set are not always helpful: high prices can push galleries to raise prices to unsustainable levels, while low prices can hurt an artist’s reputation. —

Robin Pogrebin, New York Times, 2 June 2024 The event’s name makes light of the stereotype that lesbians have toxic reputations. —

Yvonne Condes, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2024 Famous people have an undeservedly bad reputation as a group. —

Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 1 June 2024 That strategic bolstering of Costco’s reputation helps engender huge loyalty among its 120 million-plus members, and keeps them coming back, retail consultant Kathy Gersch told Fortune. —

Byirina Ivanova, Fortune, 1 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for reputation

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reputation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English reputacion, from Anglo-French, from Latin reputation-, reputatio consideration, from reputare

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of reputation was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Reputation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reputation. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.

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Kids Definition

reputation

noun

rep·u·ta·tion ˌrep-yə-ˈtā-shən

: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general

a car with a good reputation

: notice by other people of some quality or ability

has the reputation of being a good tennis player

: a place in public regard : good name

trying to protect his reputation

Legal Definition

reputation

noun

rep·u·ta·tion

: overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general within a community see also character evidence at evidence, reputation testimony at testimony

Last Updated: 6 Jun 2024 - Updated example sentences

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reputation

noun

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Synonyms

Examples of reputation in a Sentence

Word History

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Dictionary Entries Near reputation

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Legal Definition