verb

believe

bih-LEEV

verb

To accept something as true without being completely certain.

"I believe the meeting was moved to Thursday."

To accept that a person is telling the truth.

"The jury didn't believe his alibi."

To have religious or spiritual faith.

"She has always believed in a higher power."

(with "in") To trust in someone's ability, or to feel something is right or worthwhile.

"Her coach always believed in her, even when she doubted herself."

How to Use Believe

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo accept something as true or trustworthy, or to have faith in someone or something.

Easily confused with

belief →

Common pairings

believe in yourself hard to believe believe it or not

Word Forms

believed past tense, believed plural, believe plural, believes singular, believe singular, believed singular, believedst singular, believest singular, believeth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

I _____ the meeting was moved to Thursday.

Etymology

From Old English belifan, built from be- plus a root related to "leave" in the old sense of "give permission" — over time this shifted to mean "hold something to be true."

Antonyms

disbelieve doubt mistrust distrust suspect

Related Words

buy doubt trust mistrust suppose suspect distrust

Rhymes for believe

eve neve sieve reeve Steve Maeve cleve sleeve grieve achieve relieve retrieve

See all rhymes for believe →

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