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 Weiss believes the program is in dire need of a shake-up and has to be made more relevant to digital audiences and younger crowds. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026 After a season defined by statistical extremes, Kittley believes one of FAU’s greatest strengths entering Year 2 is its ability to build on a promising foundation that has remained largely intact. — Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 Continue reading … END OF AN ERA — Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, believes this will be his final year playing soccer. — FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Jessica Millan Patterson, a former state GOP chairwoman, is among those who believe the temporary pause in independent redistricting that voters approved in November will not be temporary. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 17 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
  • Don’t Spread the Experience Evenly Leaders don’t have to guess which in-store benefits matter most.
    — Ayşe Çetinel, Harvard Business Review, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Resist the urge to second guess every choice in the first few months.
    — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of guess
Verb
  • Whether defendant Tyler Robinson acted out of political animus could be key for prosecutors seeking the death penalty — or for his attorneys in taking that punishment off the table.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Their concepts are travel-based, with their album like a travel brochure that takes fans and listeners on a trip.
    — Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 19 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
  • Women considering enlistment are generally more likely to ask practical questions about pregnancy policies, hygiene and whether barracks were coed, recruiters and women currently serving explained.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • At least two San Francisco home listings seen by CNN this spring said the sellers would consider accepting shares of OpenAI or Anthropic as payment.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of consider

Phrases Containing believe

Browse Nearby Words

believably
believe
believed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/believe. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on believe

Nglish: Translation of believe for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of prowess

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All