Synonyms

believe

American

[bih-leev] / bɪˈliv /

verb (used without object)

to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so.

Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully.

verb (used with object)

to have confidence or faith in the truth of (a positive assertion, story, etc.); give credence to.
to have confidence in the assertions of (a person).
to have a conviction that (a person or thing) is, has been, or will be engaged in a given action or involved in a given situation.

The fugitive is believed to be headed for the Mexican border.
to suppose or assume; understand (usually followed by a noun clause).

I believe that he has left town.

verb phrase

believe in
1. to be persuaded of the truth or existence of.
  
  to believe in Zoroastrianism; to believe in ghosts.
2. to have faith in the reliability, honesty, benevolence, etc., of.
  
  I can help only if you believe in me.

idioms

make believe. make.

believe British

/ bɪˈliːv /

verb

(tr; may take a clause as object) to accept (a statement, supposition, or opinion) as true

I believe God exists
(tr) to accept the statement or opinion of (a person) as true
to be convinced of the truth or existence (of)

to believe in fairies
(intr) to have religious faith
(when tr, takes a clause as object) to think, assume, or suppose

I believe that he has left already
(tr; foll by of; used with can, could, would, etc) to think that someone is able to do (a particular action)

I wouldn't have believed it of him

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

believe More Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing believe

Usage

Spelling tips for believe The word believe is hard to spell for two reasons. First, because it can be hard to remember the order of the i and e. Sometimes people want to spell it beleive, which is incorrect. Second, because it is pronounced [ bih-leev ], which makes you think there may be a second i in the word, as in bilieve. How to spell believe: The easiest way to remember how to spell believe is with the classic mnemonic device: “I before E, except after C." Believ[ing] is an important part of "being alive", which reminds you that the first syllable is be, not bi.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of believe

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English bileven, equivalent to bi- be- + leven, Old English (Anglian) gelēfan (cognate with Dutch gelooven, German glauben, Gothic galaubjan )

Explanation

If you believe something, you think it’s true. If you are easily duped then you might believe your little sister when she says a thief broke into the house and ate all your candy. Believe comes from old German words meaning to have trust. Belief doesn’t require proof, just acceptance. If you’re on a jury and the prosecution and defense present two different versions of what happened, you have to decide which side you believe. To believe can also mean having confidence. If you believe in me, it doesn’t mean that you think I’m real (unless I’m a ghost). It means you think I can do what I set out to do.

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Vocabulary lists containing believe

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

believe believes believed believing

Discounts targeted “areas where we believe that the largest number of members would potentially see the value,” Millerchip said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

I believe I know which half hour he meant.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

"I believe an awards ceremony should be an occasion for celebration," said captain Lee Gi-hyuk, according to Yonhap News Agency.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

There is no treatment available for psychopathy, as "psychopaths often believe that there's nothing wrong with them".

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Soon the man came to believe that all those fantastic tales were true.

From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios

Still, the portfolio manager believes that lower-duration, more credit-sensitive assets continue to offer a more attractive risk-return for investors than traditional fixed income.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

He is struggling to reconcile the man who he believes killed his sister with the man he has known and loved for nearly 40 years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

But the man on loan at Sassuolo believes things are clicking, and it's an opportunity for him to make his mark.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Yet Colas believes this hollowing-out has left the market in a fragile state.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 4, 2026

He believes we really are going to be able to save Mom.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Security footage allegedly shows a man believed to be the suspect entering the hotel with the woman and leaving alone with her belongings.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

That makes the crater nearly 100 million years younger than previously believed.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026

Japan's tally included gold for Yuki Kurihara, who won an eSports competition aged 11, believed to make him the youngest Games champion in history.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

Strada, in a statement shared by the governor’s office, said he believed the department had followed established protocols but said stepping aside was in the state’s best interest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

When I was little, I believed that places like these held secrets that I didn’t want to uncover.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

The latter seemingly bought into some of the era’s storylines and ringside magic, believing that a rousing speech to the wrestlers in the locker room would convince them to strike.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

He left Baidu for Google, and later left OpenAI as well over strategy, believing AI safety there had been sidelined.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026

This was when Schmitt, believing he was on the verge of a slam dunk, accused Smith of perjury.

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026

Still laughing, though, at sanctimonious Yankees fans believing baseball is somehow unfair to the poor, gutty Yankees.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

The Huntsmen, believing they could take their prey unawares, drew closer.

From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023