disbelieve

[ dis-bi-leev ]

verb (used with object)

, dis·be·lieved, dis·be·liev·ing.

1. to have no belief in; refuse or reject belief in:

   to disbelieve reports of UFO sightings.

verb (used without object)

, dis·be·lieved, dis·be·liev·ing.

1. to refuse or reject belief; have no belief.

disbelieve

/ ˌdɪsbɪˈliːv /

verb

1. tr to reject as false or lying; refuse to accept as true or truthful
2. intrusually foll byin to have no faith (in)

   disbelieve in God

Derived Forms

• ˌdisbeˈlieving, adjective
• ˌdisbeˈliever, noun
• ˌdisbeˈlievingly, adverb

Other Words From

• disbe·liever noun
• disbe·lieving·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of disbelieve¹

First recorded in 1635–45; dis- ¹ + believe

Example Sentences

Frazzled housewives were a specialty: She was Richard Dreyfuss’ alarmed spouse in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” John Denver’s disbelieving wife in “Oh, God!” and a workaholic mother opposite Michael Keaton in “Mr. Mom.”

From Los Angeles Times

Sheen’s remarkable performance dominates this compelling three-part Amazon film, A Very Royal Scandal, as he captures a prince angry and disbelieving at his collapsing status.

From BBC

As he danced across home plate into the arms of bouncing, disbelieving Dodgers Friday night, the magnitude of his accomplishment was evident in the condition of his uniform.

From Los Angeles Times

But the contradictions did not cause jurors to disbelieve her, said Harry MacLean, who wrote about the case in the book “Once Upon a Time: A True Story of Memory, Murder and the Law.”

From Los Angeles Times

They look disbelieving but I walk with them to Plankinton and show them an address on a seemingly abandoned building and explain the numbering system again.

From Salon

Related Words

• repudiate