atheist
noun
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How Agnostic Differs From Atheist
Atheist and agnostic appear in the same contexts but are distinct in meaning. Atheist refers to someone who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods. Agnostic has two relevant meanings: it can refer to someone who holds the view that any ultimate reality, such as God, is unknown and probably unknowable, or it can refer to someone who is not committed to believing in either the existence or nonexistence of God or a god.
Agnostic first appeared in print in 1869 (it was possibly coined by the English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley), and was formed from the Greek agnōstos, meaning "unknown, unknowable." Atheist came to English from the French athéisme. Although both words share the prefix a-, meaning "without," the main body of each word is quite different. Agnostic ultimately comes from the Greek root gignōskein, meaning "know" (also the source of such words as know and prognosis). Atheist shares the root theo, meaning "god," with such words as theology and theism.
Examples of atheist in a Sentence
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026
Gervais is famously an atheist and has received backlash for comments he’s made about the trans community.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Gervais is an outspoken atheist and has drawn criticism for his comments on trans people.
—Melissa Locker, Time, 12 Jan. 2026
Blanc, a strict skeptic and a gay man, has no use for Catholic dogma, but even an atheist would be moved by Jud’s humility, and by the genuine sweetness and sincerity of O’Connor’s performance.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atheist
Cite this Entry
“Atheist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheist. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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