misbelief

noun

mis·​be·​lief ˌmis-bə-ˈlēf How to pronounce misbelief (audio)
: erroneous or false belief : heresy

Examples of misbelief in a Sentence

the common misbelief that the Great Wall of China is visible from the moon
Recent Examples on the Web Other misbeliefs and myths circulate: Some families believe that if a mother eats eggs during pregnancy that can bring on autism, and that boys typically miss developmental milestones so there shouldn't be a need to consult a physician in such cases. Scovian Lillian, NPR, 26 Feb. 2024 Wolter says the project has started to engage with human populations near vulture colonies, roosting sites and popular foraging areas, to educate communities on the benefits of the animal to local ecology, and dispel popular misbeliefs. Gertrude Kitongo, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 One common misbelief heard when legislation is discussed is that gender-affirming medical interventions are provided immediately to any trans or nonbinary kid who walks into a gender clinic. Helen Santoro, CBS News, 27 June 2023 Jenkins sees the same misbelief. Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2020 Lilith Fair also helped contribute to the misbelief that music made by women had to be personal, had to be polite, and had to include an acoustic guitar. Peter Rubin, Longreads, 1 July 2022 His research focuses on the psychology of human misbelief, particularly false beliefs people hold about themselves. Carmen Sanchez, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2021 So prevalence turbocharges false news, and echo chambers then turn into self-perpetuating whirlwinds of misbelief. Monique Brouillette, National Geographic, 18 Sep. 2020 This six-part series, which begins on Sunday on Showtime, isn’t easy to climb aboard, especially for American viewers steeped in the misbelief that the passions of the Vietnam War era were exclusive to the United States. Neil Genzlinger, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misbelief.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misbelief was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near misbelief

Cite this Entry

“Misbelief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misbelief. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

misbelief

noun
mis·​be·​lief ˌmis-bə-ˈlēf How to pronounce misbelief (audio)
: a mistaken or false belief
misbeliever
-ˈlē-vər
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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