Definition of beliefnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word belief different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of belief are credence, credit, and faith. While all these words mean "assent to the truth of something offered for acceptance," belief may or may not imply certitude in the believer.

my belief that I had caught all the errors

When is credence a more appropriate choice than belief?

While in some cases nearly identical to belief, credence suggests intellectual assent without implying anything about grounds for assent.

a theory now given credence by scientists

When can credit be used instead of belief?

Although the words credit and belief have much in common, credit may imply assent on grounds other than direct proof.

gave full credit to the statement of a reputable witness

In what contexts can faith take the place of belief?

While the synonyms faith and belief are close in meaning, faith almost always implies certitude even where there is no evidence or proof.

an unshakable faith in God

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 belief Executing the goals of the merger, as well as fulfilling the terms of a consent decree reached between Skydance and the plaintiffs who sued to block the deal will help restore belief in the company, Ellison added. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026 The painting borrows its name from the old maritime belief that the ninth wave is the largest and most powerful wave in a sequence of ocean waves. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 6 Oct. 2026 What readers are saying The conversation explores the impact of political and personal beliefs on public health, particularly in relation to measles outbreaks. — Leana Wen, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026 But there are other factors that have created the belief that the East now measures up very well against the West. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for belief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belief
Noun
  • Josie Long, whose credits include Skins, and playwright and screenwriter Holly Phillips, whose credits include The Athena, Get Even and Dance Academy, are adapting the books for television.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Housing topped the list at 42%, followed by stocks at 26% and corporate credit at 21%.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • That not only put him at odds with public opinion, but complicated the lives of fellow Republicans eager to escape a backlash that's making a dire GOP election situation even worse.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • One analysis described the House contest as very close and gave Republicans a slight edge in its seat-by-seat model, while noting that current public-opinion conditions could favor Democrats.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • That unease is eroding faith in political leaders and fueling calls for upheaval across the spectrum, from young conservatives to students backing progressive challengers in Michigan.
    — Jacqueline Ganun, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Returning to those stocks is a real leap of faith, but Best Buy has been moving up nicely.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But this is an album that’s apparently about the artist’s double life, and the questions that are bound to be at the forefront of any curious listener’s mind go unaddressed.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Eco effort Because Kanai is a protected area, eco efforts are top of mind.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In other words, in both mathematical and religious uses, an oracle provides answers to problems that could not be resolved within an existing system or set of axioms.
    — Ambuj Tewari, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The question fascinated David Hilbert, a renowned mathematician who had devoted much of his life to rebuilding physics on a sturdy foundation of crisp axioms.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In my view, the government must get ahead of that curve by establishing a full-fledged Department of AI, rather than leaving it to a single individual.
    — Yerbol Orynbayev, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Following the meeting, the president dismissed the idea of new AI rules and reiterated his view that the industry should police itself.
    — Jeff Masonand Michael Shepard Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • If Waldron’s future role at Goldman Sachs appears to be a near certainty, that’s not the case for the rest of the bank’s C-suite, especially if several top executives depart after being passed over.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The tension between intellectual certainty and its corporeal obverse is the novel’s most interesting possibility, yet its campus plot repeatedly narrows into a question of who deserves our sympathy.
    — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Frankel also faces investment adviser fraud and false-statement counts over SEC filings that allegedly concealed his conviction and a Finra suspension.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Cotton also rejected an argument by Brown’s lawyers that jurors were biased because Brown’s felony conviction for his 2009 domestic violence assault on his then-girlfriend, Rihanna, was mentioned.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Belief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belief. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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