belief

American  

[bih-leef] / bɪˈlif /

noun

1. something believed; an opinion or conviction.

   a belief that the earth is flat.

   Synonyms:

   persuasion, conclusion, tenet, view

2. confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof.

   a statement unworthy of belief.

   Synonyms:

   assurance

3. confidence; faith; trust.

   a child's belief in his parents.

4. a religious tenet or tenets; religious creed or faith.

   the Christian belief.

   Synonyms:

   dogma, doctrine

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belief British  

/ bɪˈliːf /

noun

1. a principle, proposition, idea, etc, accepted as true

2. opinion; conviction

3. religious faith

4. trust or confidence, as in a person or a person's abilities, probity, etc

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Synonym Usage

Belief, certainty, conviction refer to acceptance of, or confidence in, an alleged fact or body of facts as true or right without positive knowledge or proof. Belief is such acceptance in general: belief in astrology. Certainty indicates unquestioning belief and positiveness in one's own mind that something is true: I know this for a certainty. Conviction is settled, profound, or earnest belief that something is right: a conviction that a decision is just.

Other Word Forms

• prebelief
  noun
• superbelief
  noun

Etymology

Origin of belief

First recorded in 1125–75; earlier bile(e)ve (noun use of verb); replacing Middle English bileave, equivalent to bi- be- + leave (probably from Old English -lēafa “belief”); cognate with Dutch geloof, German Glaube; akin to Gothic galaubeins

Explanation

A belief is an idea one accepts as being true or real. Many children have a strong belief that the Tooth Fairy really does exist. The noun belief replaced the Old English word geleafa, meaning “belief, faith,” in the late 12th century. A belief is an idea one usually holds with conviction and importance. In a religious context, the Ancient Greeks held the belief that many gods existed, controlling their fate, while Christianity began with the belief that only one God exists. You can also have belief in yourself in the face of a challenge.

Example Sentences

This time Sheringham, fuelled by the belief he should have started after also scoring in the FA Cup win days earlier, nods back across goal, his fellow super sub reacting quickest.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

I believe in God, but I find that belief tested daily.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Instilling that belief in a young mind is priceless, particularly in families where the older generation did not have the same educational opportunities.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

While the defendants we spoke to acknowledged some discomfort using taxpayer dollars to finance this retribution, more striking was their unwavering belief that they deserved every cent.

From Slate • May 28, 2026

“You know, Emerson had a strong belief in the power of the individual. He believed all people were important. No matter their race.”

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée

Related Words

• acceptance
• assumption
• conclusion
• confidence
• conviction
• expectation
• faith
• feeling
• hope
• idea
• judgment
• knowledge
• notion
• opinion
• position
• suspicion
• theory
• thinking
• trust
• understanding