disbelieve

[ dis-bi-leev ]

/ ˌdɪs bɪˈliv /

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See synonyms for: disbelieve / disbelieving / disbeliever on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), dis·be·lieved, dis·be·liev·ing.

to have no belief in; refuse or reject belief in: to disbelieve reports of UFO sightings.

verb (used without object), dis·be·lieved, dis·be·liev·ing.

to refuse or reject belief; have no belief.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of disbelieve

First recorded in 1635–45; dis-¹ + believe

OTHER WORDS FROM disbelieve

dis·be·liev·er, noundis·be·liev·ing·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH disbelieve

disbelieve , misbelieve

Words nearby disbelieve

disavow, disavowal, disband, disbar, disbelief, disbelieve, disbosom, disbound, disbranch, disbud, disburden

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use disbelieve in a sentence

The courts were almost twice as likely to disbelieve the mothers’ claims of abuse in those scenarios.
He Beat Her Repeatedly. Family Court Tried to Give Him Joint Custody of Their Children.|by Megan O’Matz|September 16, 2021|ProPublica
Here is the part most people are unaware of or disbelieve because it seems like it may be crystal healing pseudoscience.
Smell better with these stink-proof tips|Hugh Neill|September 16, 2021|Popular-Science
Due out on Friday, the report’s expected assertion that no classified American programs exist to explain the observations will most likely be dismissed by those primed to disbelieve government pronouncements.
Power Up: UFO report to come from Pentagon as soon as today|Jacqueline Alemany|June 25, 2021|Washington Post
Even if we set aside these reasons to disbelieve Carlson’s theory and the fact that the government isn’t supposed to cite government agents as unindicted co-conspirators, it’s still a massive leap to assume that these people were government agents.
Tucker Carlson’s wild, baseless theory blaming the FBI for organizing the Jan. 6 Capitol riot|Aaron Blake|June 16, 2021|Washington Post

I was supposed to disbelieve everything the Israelis just told me.
Inside Obama’s Iran Sanctions Strategy|Eli Lake, Josh Rogin|November 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I have looked down on dead Marines this way, trying to disbelieve them back to life.
America’s Lost Decade in Iraq: A Marine Officer Looks Back|Benjamin Busch|March 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
You may disbelieve the promise, but I'm afraid you can't simply instruct the voters to agree with you.
Who's Got the Edge Going Into the VP Debate?|Megan McArdle|October 11, 2012|DAILY BEAST
There's another reason to disbelieve in a conspiracy: the number comes too late to do any good.
Why Would the BLS Bother to Cook the Books?|Megan McArdle|October 5, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Some" may disbelieve these things, but even among conservatives, it is unlikely to be a very big "some.
The Overheated Case Against Romneycare|David Frum|August 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
We must disbelieve the alleged fact, or believe that we were mistaken in admitting the supposed law.
A System of Logic: Ratiocinative and Inductive|John Stuart Mill
He must still either believe in witchcraft or disbelieve all of the Bible.
The Necessity of Atheism|Dr. D.M. Brooks
Sitting opposite to this cynical man of the world and listening to his talk, Hyacinth came himself to disbelieve in principle.
Hyacinth|George A. Birmingham
I disbelieve in this commercial selfishness emphasized in the text.
The Outline of History: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind|Herbert George Wells
We should indeed be reduced to a most distressing dilemma, if we were to disbelieve every thing we cannot fully comprehend.
Jesus, The Messiah; or, the Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in the New Testament Scriptures|(A Lady) Anonymous

British Dictionary definitions for disbelieve

disbelieve

/ (ˌdɪsbɪˈliːv) /

verb

(tr) to reject as false or lying; refuse to accept as true or truthful

(intr usually foll by in) to have no faith (in)disbelieve in God

Derived forms of disbelieve

disbeliever, noundisbelieving, adjectivedisbelievingly, adverb

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

disbelieve

Origin of disbelieve

OTHER WORDS FROM disbelieve

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH disbelieve

Words nearby disbelieve

Words related to disbelieve

How to use disbelieve in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for disbelieve

Derived forms of disbelieve