believe

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

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 The government shutdown continues with no sign of a quick solution in sight and betting odds suggest many Americans believe the shutdown could last for weeks. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025 Israel believes Hamas is still holding 48 hostages, 20 of whom are thought to be alive. Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025 Planet Nine is believed to be between five and 10 times the mass of Earth and would be orbiting the sun far beyond Pluto, at around 550 times the distance between Earth and the sun. Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025 Two of the dead were shot by the gunman, and two others are believed to have been trapped inside the church and perished in the flames. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for believe
Verb
  • The Tennessee Department of Education provided a list of more than 200 schools accepting scholarship students for the 2025-26 school year.
    Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The planning commission accepted the recommendation, with a small modification related to how medical clinics are defined in the Land Development Code.
    Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The hairs on the back of the neck still stand up now when thinking of the post-match celebrations after David Seaman’s penalty save dumped out Spain in the quarter-finals.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Because nothing lifts your spirits like discovering somebody on the other side of the world who thinks like you — or, even better, sees things in an entirely different way.
    The Dial, The Dial, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Laughter from the crowd breaks the tension of what could have been understood as metaphor for Netanyahu’s actions.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Plenty of Nashvillians can probably understand the Maxwell House coffee brand’s recent marketing move.
    Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Leading up to the release of Showgirl, Swift kept fans guessing about the project through a number of methods.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Despite advances in technology, some people still believe myths about guessing the baby’s gender during pregnancy.
    Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Burns took them from a housing project to the C-suite, then used that platform to demand better for everyone coming after her.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Getting the balance right does take skilful execution.
    Adam Gale, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Economist Pierre Azoulay and colleagues recently imagined an alternative history where NIH was 40% smaller and dispersed less money – a budget akin to current federal proposals.
    Ryan Summers, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
  • If people’s lives become intertwined after just a few months, imagine after 19 years together.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Front Office Sports reported Friday that Stars ownership is considering a site in Plano, Texas, approximately 20 miles from Dallas.
    Rob Rossi, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2025
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, this spice is considered to have antiseptic and digestive benefits.
    Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/believe. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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