atheism
Americannoun
-
disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or a supreme being or beings.
-
the philosophical position stating that there is no supreme being or beings.
noun
Usage
What does atheism mean? Atheism is the belief that there is no supreme being or deity. In other words, atheism is the denial of the existence of God or of any gods. A person who holds such a belief can be called an atheist. The word atheist can also be used as an adjective to describe such beliefs or things involving such beliefs. The adjective atheistic can be used in the same way. The word atheism means something different from agnosticism, which is the belief that it is impossible to know whether or not a supreme being exists. When asked if God or gods exist, an atheist would answer “No,” while an agnostic would answer “It is impossible to know.”Example: Atheism isn’t the belief that God is bad—it’s the belief that God doesn’t exist.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of atheism
First recorded in 1580–90; from Greek áthe(os) “godless” + -ism; see a- 6 ( def. ), theo-
Explanation
Atheism is the lack of belief in the existence of a god or gods. Atheism isn't a religion — it's just the opposite. If you're fed up with religion or think that believing in God, heaven, and hell is silly, atheism just might be for you. An atheist doesn't believe in God or other supernatural beings. Some atheists state their belief more strongly, but it comes down to either "I don't believe in God" or "There is no God," which mean about the same thing. This is a stronger belief than agnosticism, which says we can't know if God exists.
Vocabulary lists containing atheism
Power Suffix: -ism
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Russia - Introductory
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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.
Few of the author’s converts came from committed atheism.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
In 1992, the government dropped its constitutional references to atheism.
From Seattle Times • May 16, 2024
Not because he's carefully engaged the many philosophical proofs for atheism that are out there, of course.
From Salon • Feb. 21, 2024
McCauley, who now lives in Las Vegas, was raised in a fairly conservative Lutheran church and kept his atheism to himself for decades.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2023
In the Soviet Union these include capitalism, God, and the surrender of national sovereignty; in the United States, socialism, atheism, and the surrender of national sovereignty.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
