as in disbelief
refusal to accept something as true
my nonbelief in UFO's should not be construed as an unshakable belief in their nonexistence—I'm just waiting for proof
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Recent Examples of nonbelief
Government neutrality among faiths — and between belief and nonbelief — is foundational.
—
Brielle Miller, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2026
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
Brielle Miller, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonbelief
Noun
-
While this novel is at times engaging and even includes one surprising turn, much is uneven – either predictable or requiring a huge suspension of disbelief.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
-
Interview With the Vampire, and now The Vampire Lestat, require a suspension of disbelief and willingness to go beyond the normal mores of TV to enjoy its twists and pleasures to the fullest extent, and the crowd inside the theater was all too willing to go along with the kayfabe.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Even with widespread skepticism and disregard for health protocols, many in the town are becoming aware of the outbreak's grave reality.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
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There also has been widespread skepticism regarding the disease, making the job of medical treatment more difficult for Lokudu and his colleagues, and some of the health workers and first responders have died of the disease.—
Justin Kabumba,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Noun
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But in drawing upon those exact fields of study to reverse the long-term march toward unbelief, the authors appear to have missed the mechanism by which those prior discoveries eroded faith: namely, that people had staked their belief on evidence that was overturned by subsequent data.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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My own passage into and back out of unbelief—one marked by a close reading of works that earlier illiberal societies had attempted to suppress on religious grounds—has strengthened my liberal commitments.—
Christopher Beha,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nonbelief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonbelief. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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