Investment-grade

adj.resilient, capableprofessional

What it means

Rated by a credit-rating organization as having comparatively low default risk within its rating scale.

Reach for it when using the established finance category while naming the agency and rating

The fund may hold bonds rated investment-grade by the agencies listed in its mandate.

playful
blue-chip
informal market language should suggest established quality
not when Blue-chip usually describes companies or equities and has no precise credit cutoff.
everyday
low-risk
relative risk should be communicated plainly
not when Low-risk is vague and ignores interest-rate, liquidity, currency, and market risks.
professional
creditworthy
evidence suggests the borrower can meet obligations
not when Creditworthy is evaluative and not a formal rating category by itself.
professional
high-grade
strong credit quality is the broad financial claim
not when High-grade may use a different threshold and still needs a named rating framework.
formal
rated
an external organization has assigned a credit opinion
not when A rating may fall anywhere on the agency's scale, including below the investment-grade threshold.
formal
upper-medium-grade
the rating sits in a named strong-credit band
not when Upper-medium-grade is narrower than investment-grade and depends on the agency's scale.

investment-grade bond
An investment-grade bond can still lose value before maturity.
investment-grade rating
The investment-grade rating came from the agency named in the prospectus.
remain investment-grade
The issuer may remain investment-grade while its outlook deteriorates.

Investment-grade is agency-specific and time-specific. It does not mean safe, liquid, profitable, or suitable for a particular investor.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.