disbelief

noun

dis·​be·​lief ˌdis-bə-ˈlēf 

: the act of disbelieving : mental rejection of something as untrue

Synonyms of disbelief

• skepticism
• doubt
• incredulity
• suspicion
• unbelief

Examples of disbelief in a Sentence

She stared at him in utter disbelief.

their story explaining their absence was met with frank disbelief

Recent Examples on the Web

As far back as December, a reader emailed me in disbelief at the hundreds of people who packed into an ICE observation training at a church in Uptown — trainings that are now common. —Eric Roper, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026

Simbi Khali played Nina Campbell, the sharp-witted assistant who often reacted to the Solomons’ antics with amused disbelief. —Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026

Linda is not the right kind of people person for the job, Bradley tells her — and yes, Send Help’s insistence that McAdams’s character is frumpy and repellant requires more suspension of disbelief than anything else in the movie. —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026

What have not faded are the feelings from Mavericks fans who are still in disbelief that the franchise traded Luka. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1639, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing disbelief

• suspend (one's) disbelief

Rhymes for disbelief

• cloverleaf
• leitmotif
• overleaf
• unbelief
• beef
• brief
• chief
• fief
• grief
• leaf
• lief
• reef

Kids Definition

disbelief

noun

dis·​be·​lief ˌdis-bə-ˈlēf 

: the act or state of disbelieving : mental rejection of something as untrue