believe
bih-LEEV
Believe (verb) means to accept something as true without being completely certain. Example: “I believe the meeting was moved to Thursday.”
verb
1
To accept something as true without being completely certain.
"I believe the meeting was moved to Thursday."
"I believe the shop closes early on Sundays, but I'm not sure."
"They believed the storm would pass by morning, so they stayed put."
2
To accept that a person is telling the truth.
"The jury didn't believe his alibi."
"I don't believe you; you told me the same story last week."
"The teacher believed the boy when he explained why his homework was late."
3
To have religious or spiritual faith.
"She has always believed in a higher power."
"Many people in the village believe and attend services every Sunday."
"He was raised to believe, though he now wonders about some teachings."
4
(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."
"We believe in giving every child a fair chance to learn."
"You should believe in yourself a little more before the interview."
How to use believe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo accept something as true or trustworthy, or to have faith in someone or something.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
believe in yourself
hard to believe
believe it or not
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like believe.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- believes
- Past tense
- believed
- Archaic forms
- believedst, believest, believeth
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."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for believe
See all rhymes for believe →Frequently asked questions
What does “believe” mean?
The word “believe” means to accept something as true without being completely certain. In plain terms, to accept something as true or trustworthy, or to have faith in someone or something.
How do you pronounce “believe”?
“Believe” is pronounced bih-LEEV (/bɪˈliːv/ in IPA).
How do you use “believe” in a sentence?
Here is “believe” used in a sentence: “I believe the meeting was moved to Thursday.”
What is the opposite of “believe”?
The opposite of “believe” — its antonyms — are disbelieve, doubt, mistrust, distrust and suspect.
What part of speech is “believe”?
“Believe” is a verb.
Where does the word “believe” come from?
The word “believe” comes from Old English. 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.".
Is “believe” a common word?
“Believe” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “believe” have?
“Believe” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to accept something as true without being completely certain.
What is the difference between believe and belief?
'Believe' is the verb — the act of accepting something as true, as in 'I believe you'. 'Belief' is the noun — the idea or conviction itself, as in 'a strong belief'. The two are constantly confused because they sound alike, but one is an action and the other is a thing.
What is the difference between believing and knowing something?
Believing means accepting something as true without being completely certain, often on trust or partial evidence. Knowing implies certainty backed by solid proof or direct experience. You might believe a friend will arrive on time, but you only know it once they walk through the door.
Can you believe something without proof?
Yes. Believing does not require full certainty or hard evidence — that is what separates it from knowing. People believe things based on trust, faith, intuition, or the word of others. This is why we can believe a promise or a prediction long before there is any proof it is true.
What is an example of 'believe' in a sentence?
You might say, 'I believe it will rain later,' or 'They believe the plan will work.' In both cases the speaker accepts something as true or likely without being completely sure. 'Believe' can also express trust in a person, as in 'I believe you.'
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include believe:
