nonbelief

noun

non·​be·​lief ˌnän-bə-ˈlēf 

: absence or lack of belief

especially : absence or lack of religious belief

nonbelief in God

We turn to Dawkins not for his views on sundry social topics, but for clarity on religion and nonbelief.

—Jeffrey Tayler

Synonyms

• disbelief
• incredulity
• unbelief

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

But Einstein also closed his letter with a sentiment that is often overlooked in the complicated and, in fact, wildly diverse landscape of American nonbelief, including atheism and its less strident cousin, agnosticism. —Harry Bruinius, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar. 2019

In the mid-2000s, atheist figures such as the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, a writer who has a doctorate in neuroscience, brought nonbelief into the public sphere—and onto the New York Times bestseller list. —Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2018

Yet, religious nonbelief is often heavily stigmatized, potentially leading many atheists to refrain from outing themselves even in anonymous polls. —Scott Canon, kansascity, 1 May 2017

Word History

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above