believe
Americanverb (used without object)
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believes,
present (3rd person singular)
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believed,
past participle, past
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believing
present participle
verb (used with object)
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believes,
present (3rd person singular)
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believed,
past participle, past
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believing
present participle
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to have confidence or faith in the truth of (a positive assertion, story, etc.); give credence to.
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to have confidence in the assertions of (a person).
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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.
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to suppose or assume; understand (usually followed by a noun clause).
I believe that he has left town.
verb phrase
idioms
verb
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(tr; may take a clause as object) to accept (a statement, supposition, or opinion) as true
I believe God exists
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(tr) to accept the statement or opinion of (a person) as true
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to be convinced of the truth or existence (of)
to believe in fairies
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(intr) to have religious faith
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(when tr, takes a clause as object) to think, assume, or suppose
I believe that he has left already
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(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
Usage
Spelling tips for believe The word believe is hard to spell for two reasons. First, because it can be hard to remember the order of the i and e. Sometimes people want to spell it beleive, which is incorrect. Second, because it is pronounced [ bih-leev ], which makes you think there may be a second i in the word, as in bilieve. How to spell believe: The easiest way to remember how to spell believe is with the classic mnemonic device: “I before E, except after C." Believ[ing] is an important part of "being alive", which reminds you that the first syllable is be, not bi.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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believabilitynoun
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believablenessnoun
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believernoun
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believingnoun
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superbelievablenessnoun
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prebelieveverb
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believableadjective
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half-believedadjective
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half-believingadjective
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superbelievableadjective
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well-believedadjective
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believablyadverb
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believinglyadverb
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superbelievablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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believesimple
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believessimple
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have believedperfect
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has believedperfect
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am believingprogressive
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are believingprogressive
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is believingprogressive
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have been believingperfect progressive
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has been believingperfect progressive
Past
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believedsimple
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had believedperfect
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was believingprogressive
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were believingprogressive
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had been believingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of believe
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English bileven, equivalent to bi- be- + leven, Old English (Anglian) gelēfan (cognate with Dutch gelooven, German glauben, Gothic galaubjan )
Explanation
If you believe something, you think it’s true. If you are easily duped then you might believe your little sister when she says a thief broke into the house and ate all your candy. Believe comes from old German words meaning to have trust. Belief doesn’t require proof, just acceptance. If you’re on a jury and the prosecution and defense present two different versions of what happened, you have to decide which side you believe. To believe can also mean having confidence. If you believe in me, it doesn’t mean that you think I’m real (unless I’m a ghost). It means you think I can do what I set out to do.
Vocabulary lists containing believe
Spelling Practice, Unit 3
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 4
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Spelling Practice 2, Unit 4
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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.
See Examples For:
“We’re publishing this work because we believe we have a responsibility to disclose malicious misuse of our services,” the San Francisco company said in its 154-page report.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
Opponents believe support for the bill has weakened since MPs last considered it.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
"We believe there is a mutually beneficial deal for Canada and the United States," the prime minister told reporters in the western city of Calgary, where he was hosting Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
They believe in a higher power or spiritual force, but don’t typically embrace a more personalized belief that the God of the Bible determines the course of their lives and is active in human affairs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
What’s more, he means it—literally, and I believe him.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
A social tariff is a discount on bills based on household income, and the TUC says it believes two-thirds of households could benefit.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
She believes the coloring helps them camouflage among she-oak flowers, with which they are closely associated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
First, he assumes that they’re as gullible as he is—that, since he believes the compliments they shovel his way, they’ll believe his shovelings too.
From Slate ● Sep. 10, 2026
Or, at the very least, he believes it is passable.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
Dr. Cohen beams as if he genuinely believes I’m glad to be coming in second.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
The fossilized tooth is believed to be at least 10,000 years old.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
Agents believed there were some 374 other victims but were unable to either identify or contact them, lawyers for the government later said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Ed Lyon and Carl Kleinfeldt both believed their paperwork was in order.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
In what is believed to be its first time travelling outside France, the tapestry depicting 627 figures and more than 700 animals has been laid flat in a raised glass cabinet.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
And—out of nowhere—he apparently believed I had a grudge against his sister.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
The meeting discussed the emergence of Patriot Platform with ministers believing the group aims to intimidate communities.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
There’s only four weeks story time between Season 1 and 2 and, personally, I turned 50 this year and no one’s believing that Gordon is still 42.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Despite developing the machine with scientists, Ernetti’s claims of what he saw — including Christ’s crucifixion — quickly became sensationalized fodder, with some believing in Ernetti’s discovery and others dismissing it as a hoax.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026
In that case, those believing in lower rates would be correct, but for a difficult reason — a major financial crash followed by recession or depression.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026
She would panic, believing that the gossip was spreading.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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.
