Advertisement
Advertisement
believe
[ bih-leev ]
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
- to be persuaded of the truth or existence of:
to believe in Zoroastrianism; to believe in ghosts.
- to have faith in the reliability, honesty, benevolence, etc., of:
I can help only if you believe in me.
believe
/ 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
- intrfoll byin 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
Derived Forms
- beˈlievable, adjective
- beˈlievably, adverb
- beˈlieving, nounadjective
- beˈliever, noun
- beˈlievaˌbility, noun
Other Words From
- be·liev·a·bil·i·ty [bih-leev-, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], be·liev·a·ble·ness noun
- be·liev·a·ble adjective
- be·liev·a·bly adverb
- be·liev·er noun
- be·liev·ing·ly adverb
- half-be·lieved adjective
- half-be·liev·ing adjective
- pre·be·lieve verb prebelieved prebelieving
- su·per·be·liev·a·ble adjective
- su·per·be·liev·a·ble·ness noun
- su·per·be·liev·a·bly adverb
- well-be·lieved adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of believe1
Idioms and Phrases
- make believe. make 1( def 68 ).
More idioms and phrases containing believe
- lead one to believe
- make believe
- you'd better believe it
- seeing is believing
Example Sentences
People watch night soaps because the genre allows them to believe in a world where people just react off their baser instincts.
The death toll, which experts believe has been significantly undercut by secret burials, stands at 7,905.
Three quarters of those people believe the end of the world is nigh.
I believe in the power of institutions—Congress, public policy, certain ideas about politics—that last for a long time.
What they believe impacts economic policy, foreign policy, education policy, environmental policy, you name it.
He did believe you, more or less, and what you said fell in with his own impressions—strange impressions that they were, poor man!
I believe that these are ideal characters constructed from still more ancient legends and traditions.
"I verily believe they're gone to look at my button," cried Davy, beginning to laugh, in spite of his fears.
I cannot believe that God would think it necessary to come on earth as a man, and die on the Cross.
I cannot believe that a good God would create or tolerate a Devil, nor that he would allow the Devil to tempt man.
Advertisement
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse