believer

American  

[bih-leev-er] / bɪˈliv ər /

noun

1. someone who has confidence in the truth, existence, or reliability of something.

   I am a firm believer that evolution happened the way that evolutionary biologists describe.

   The team’s offensive coordinator is a big believer in the run game versus the passing game.

2. someone who has or professes faith in something, especially a religion.

   The church has grown from a handful of believers, meeting in the pastor’s living room, to a congregation now in excess of 1,000.

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Other Word Forms

• pre-believer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of believer

believe ( def. ) + -er ¹

Explanation

A believer is a follower of a particular religion or spiritual practice. Whether you are a Hindu, a Pagan, or a Catholic, you can call yourself a believer. Most believers have specific religious beliefs, but you can be a secular believer as well — for example, you might be a firm believer in socialist economic policies or a believer in the benefits of homeschooling. Basically, anyone who holds a strong belief in the truth of something is a believer. The verb believe is at the heart of believer, and it stems from the Old English belyfan, "to believe."

Example Sentences

I’m a firm believer that any meal involving golden egg yolks, a skillet full of sauce and toasted bread meant for dragging through said sauce is already halfway to perfection.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

I’m a big believer in dialectical thinking — looking at situations from multiple perspectives.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

He seems to have been a true believer who needed to give himself, heart and soul, to something.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

She added that she remains "a genuine believer" in where the firm is headed.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

My father was not a strong believer in religion.

From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya

Related Words

• adherent
• devotee
• disciple
• follower
• supporter
• zealot