Synonyms

believe

American

[bih-leev] / bɪˈliv /

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

believe in
1. to be persuaded of the truth or existence of.
  
  to believe in Zoroastrianism; to believe in ghosts.
2. to have faith in the reliability, honesty, benevolence, etc., of.
  
  I can help only if you believe in me.

idioms

make believe. make.

believe British

/ 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
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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

believe More Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing believe

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

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing believe

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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:

believe believes believed believing

Her parents weren’t die-hards at their Pentecostal church, but Hackney wanted to believe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

It’s still new enough for us to understand that getting the Lady Greyhounds to believe in themselves was always going to be the easy part.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026

"They don't believe he has a magic wand. I don't blame him for the overcrowding crisis and I don't think voters do".

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

Michigan health officials now believe that most people got sick in late June or early July, and that the contaminated lettuce is no longer available.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

“It was easier for me to have you believe that my problem was about him rather than have to talk about the reality I was facing.”

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Savita believes the exam was manipulated, alleging some candidates left answers blank so they could be filled in later.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

Lore believes there is enough demand for all those orders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Buckingham believes making the forthcoming Apple TV documentary has not only helped mend the rift between he and Nicks, but also any remaining tensions with other Fleetwood Mac members.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

"Amazon believes in paying the full costs of powering our operations," a spokesperson said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

“Cautious, very cautious,” thought Emma; “he advances inch by inch, and will hazard nothing till he believes himself secure.”

From "Emma" by Jane Austen

Mackay said his company believed it was the closest a civilian airliner had operated so close to winter solstice, which was on 21 June.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

In my case, dozens of people were, for 20 years, and I choose to believe every one of them was doing what they believed was the decent thing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

These cells first develop during embryonic growth, and scientists have generally believed that they remain in the brain and continually renew themselves throughout a person's life.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

Where Mona believed any outfit could benefit from a splash of animal print and kitten heels, I found fashion inspiration from behind the wheels of oversize red shopping carts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

But while my brain might have believed that, my body wasn’t buying it.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

It simply gives me a stopping point before I begin believing every peach, pickle and pastry belongs to the plan.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

The meaning of the geometric shapes and animal outlines remains a mystery, with some believing they had ritual astronomical functions, according to UNESCO, which declared the area a World Heritage site in 1994.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

Someone was using her name — and her state bar license number — to scam the man into believing she was representing him in his removal proceedings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

Kilgore also warns against developing "ownership bias", believing an idea is brilliant simply because it belongs to them.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

Nobody in Mrs. Miller’s class had trouble believing this, because doctors aren’t all that special anyway.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023