believe

verb

bə-ˈlēv How to pronounce believe (audio)
Definition of believenext
1
as in to accept
to regard as right or true only the most naive car buyer would have believed the salesman's claim that the dealership was actually losing money on the deal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to think
to have as an opinion despite the horrors she witnessed and endured, Anne Frank steadfastly believed that "people are really good at heart"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of believe Douglass believed that Tubman’s record could speak for itself. — Katie Angell Britannica Editors Aug. 24, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Aug. 2026 Canadians overwhelmingly supported Ottawa’s decision to abandon talks; nearly two-thirds believe the trade crisis will make Canada stronger by becoming less dependent on Washington. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Eight in 10 adults believe everyone deserves time to play, according to a survey of 3,000 adults by Ingka Centres. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 Investigators believe the suspect, 36-year-old Benjamin Charles Parker, killed himself, the Washington County (Oregon) Sheriff's Office said in a news release Sunday evening. — CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for believe
  1. accept
  2. think
  3. understand
  4. guess
  5. take
  6. imagine
  7. trust
  8. consider
Verb
  • Nguyen Thi Quynh Tam, 24, said she was raped on July 5 and pressured by the man's family to accept money and not go to police.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • After rigorous vetting, companies accepted into the Program will be authorized to conduct two types of cyber operations under the contract and direction of the Departments of Justice or Homeland Security.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of accept
Verb
  • Beyond the rooms, the hotel offers experiences that turn a stay into a real adventure; think horseback riding through Konavle, an ATV or buggy safari, sea kayaking around the Old Town walls, or even a private Game of Thrones tour through the city.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Westerns are often thought to glorify the violence and vigilantism of the 19th-century towns on the expanding American border.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of think
Verb
  • Three-dimensional geological modelling has improved the ability to understand how a mineral system is shaped at depth.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The challenge is not simply understanding asset allocation theory but also selecting managers, accessing differentiated opportunities and integrating them into a broader portfolio.
    — Alex Shahidi, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of understand
Verb
  • Trust grows when transformation is communicated clearly instead of left for others to guess.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Their performances keep the audience guessing about both characters until Holloway finally brings the pieces together in a tremendously satisfying finale.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of guess
Verb
  • Fewer suicide attempts will also mean fewer lengthy bridge closures, which affect national security and require drivers to take a 23-mile detour through Imperial Beach and up the Silver Strand to get from San Diego to Coronado.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Getting a women’s soccer team off the ground takes its challenges, which Keeley Jones (Juno Temple) and Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) have begun to realize four episodes into the fourth season of Ted Lasso.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of take
Verb
  • The barrel had been punctured several times and dumped far offshore, Spencer said, but whoever discarded the remains likely never imagined the reservoir’s shoreline would one day retract hundreds of feet.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • On the other hand, severe inflation could produce the same nominal milestone while bitcoin purchased far less than enthusiasts imagine.
    — Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of imagine
Verb
  • The con supplies the plot, but the movie is really about what happens when people who lie for a living start trusting one another.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • When a program cheats on the very test to catch dangerous behavior, that test and program can no longer be trusted.
    — John Caruso, Hartford Courant, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of trust
Verb
  • Takaichi's remark crossed what China considers a red line in its relations with other countries about Taiwan, which is a self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Last week, amid trade talks with the US, Carney asked premiers to consider bringing US alcohol back to store shelves in hopes of reaching a deal.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of consider

Phrases Containing believe

Browse Nearby Words

believably
believe
believed
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Cite this Entry

“Believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/believe. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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