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

The courts were almost twice as likely to disbelieve the mothers’ claims of abuse in those scenarios.

From ProPublica

Here is the part most people are unaware of or disbelieve because it seems like it may be crystal healing pseudoscience.

From Popular-Science

Due out on Friday, the report’s expected assertion that no classified American programs exist to explain the observations will most likely be dismissed by those primed to disbelieve government pronouncements.

From Washington Post

Even if we set aside these reasons to disbelieve Carlson’s theory and the fact that the government isn’t supposed to cite government agents as unindicted co-conspirators, it’s still a massive leap to assume that these people were government agents.

From Washington Post

I was supposed to disbelieve everything the Israelis just told me.

From The Daily Beast

I have looked down on dead Marines this way, trying to disbelieve them back to life.

From The Daily Beast

You may disbelieve the promise, but I'm afraid you can't simply instruct the voters to agree with you.

From The Daily Beast

There's another reason to disbelieve in a conspiracy: the number comes too late to do any good.

From The Daily Beast

Some" may disbelieve these things, but even among conservatives, it is unlikely to be a very big "some.

From The Daily Beast

We must disbelieve the alleged fact, or believe that we were mistaken in admitting the supposed law.

From Project Gutenberg

He must still either believe in witchcraft or disbelieve all of the Bible.

From Project Gutenberg

Sitting opposite to this cynical man of the world and listening to his talk, Hyacinth came himself to disbelieve in principle.

From Project Gutenberg

I disbelieve in this commercial selfishness emphasized in the text.

From Project Gutenberg

We should indeed be reduced to a most distressing dilemma, if we were to disbelieve every thing we cannot fully comprehend.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• repudiate