as in delusion
a false idea or belief
the common misbelief that the Great Wall of China is visible from the moon
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Recent Examples of misbelief
The other problematic element of this Call Her Daddy discourse is the misbelief that Harris (or any woman running for office) inherently has women’s votes in the bag and, thus, that candidate should spend their time on voters who are more on the fence.
—
Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 9 Oct. 2024
Combating misbelief is much more complicated—and politically and ethically fraught—than reducing the spread of explicitly false content.
—Jennifer Allen, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2024
Her Daddy discourse is the misbelief that Harris (or any woman running for office) inherently has women’s votes in the bag and, thus, that candidate should spend their time on voters who are more on the fence.
—Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 9 Oct. 2024
Combating misbelief is much more complicated—and politically and ethically fraught—than reducing the spread of explicitly false content.
—Jennifer Allen, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2024
Other misbeliefs and myths circulate: Some families believe that if a mother eats eggs during pregnancy that can bring on autism, and that boys typically miss developmental milestones so there shouldn't be a need to consult a physician in such cases.
—Scovian Lillian, NPR, 26 Feb. 2024
Wolter says the project has started to engage with human populations near vulture colonies, roosting sites and popular foraging areas, to educate communities on the benefits of the animal to local ecology, and dispel popular misbeliefs.
—Gertrude Kitongo, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024
One common misbelief heard when legislation is discussed is that gender-affirming medical interventions are provided immediately to any trans or nonbinary kid who walks into a gender clinic.
—Helen Santoro, CBS News, 27 June 2023
Lilith Fair also helped contribute to the misbelief that music made by women had to be personal, had to be polite, and had to include an acoustic guitar.
—Peter Rubin, Longreads, 1 July 2022
Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 9 Oct. 2024
Combating misbelief is much more complicated—and politically and ethically fraught—than reducing the spread of explicitly false content.
—Jennifer Allen, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2024
Her Daddy discourse is the misbelief that Harris (or any woman running for office) inherently has women’s votes in the bag and, thus, that candidate should spend their time on voters who are more on the fence.
—Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 9 Oct. 2024
Combating misbelief is much more complicated—and politically and ethically fraught—than reducing the spread of explicitly false content.
—Jennifer Allen, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2024
Other misbeliefs and myths circulate: Some families believe that if a mother eats eggs during pregnancy that can bring on autism, and that boys typically miss developmental milestones so there shouldn't be a need to consult a physician in such cases.
—Scovian Lillian, NPR, 26 Feb. 2024
Wolter says the project has started to engage with human populations near vulture colonies, roosting sites and popular foraging areas, to educate communities on the benefits of the animal to local ecology, and dispel popular misbeliefs.
—Gertrude Kitongo, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024
One common misbelief heard when legislation is discussed is that gender-affirming medical interventions are provided immediately to any trans or nonbinary kid who walks into a gender clinic.
—Helen Santoro, CBS News, 27 June 2023
Lilith Fair also helped contribute to the misbelief that music made by women had to be personal, had to be polite, and had to include an acoustic guitar.
—Peter Rubin, Longreads, 1 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misbelief
Noun
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Researchers noted the positive effects of ecstatic epilepsy and synthesized fifty-three theoretical models of delusion.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Some might suggest that these delusions of grandeur are designed to tranquilize the nervous masses; regardless, the public obviously craves them.—
Lauren Stienstra,
Time,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Entities magically endowed with life by the gods are not a rarity in Greek myth.—
Sofia Giannuzzi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
22 Apr. 2025
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At the same time, the Health and Human Service Department, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has stoked uncertainty and confusion among Americans whose suspicions grew during the pandemic about vaccines and what many scientists worry are myths about alternatives.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The law only allows schools to recognize changes made to birth certificates that were made to correct a clerical error.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
2 May 2025
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Last month, the Campaign Finance Board denied Cuomo’s request for nearly $3 million in public matching funds due to paperwork errors.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2025
Noun
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This city will never be the same, insofar as our sense of safety, our illusions of permanence and so on, are gone.—
Lorraine Berry,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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Mat previously impressed judges on America’s Got Talent in 2014 with his magic, illusions and card tricks.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There may be a misconception that country music is easy to replicate.—
Lori Majewski,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2025
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Estate Planning Isn’t Just For The Wealthy A major misconception is that estate planning is only for the wealthy.—
Cody Barbo,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The national folks who’ve hung on Hurley’s every word, delighted in each new superstition revealed, had flocked elsewhere.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
20 Mar. 2025
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Closing Thoughts As Adam Smith observed, science is the antidote to enthusiasm and superstition — yet it must be wielded responsibly to avoid becoming poison itself.—
Jahan Marcu,
Rolling Stone,
29 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Misbelief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misbelief. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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