believe

verb

bə-ˈlēv How to pronounce believe (audio)
Definition of believenext
1
as in to accept
to regard as right or true only the most naive car buyer would have believed the salesman's claim that the dealership was actually losing money on the deal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to think
to have as an opinion despite the horrors she witnessed and endured, Anne Frank steadfastly believed that "people are really good at heart"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 believe Bannon, interestingly, believes the Republicans’ intense focus on saving Collins could very well backfire for the GOP, not just in Maine, but across the country. — Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 26 Oct. 2026 The analyst believes that Crescent is not just expanding its business through acquisitions but positioning itself as a more durable company, regardless of market conditions. — Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026 The organizers believe both formats will shape where the genre goes next. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026 The child, if William Wordsworth is to be believed, is the father of the man. — Ryan Meehan, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for believe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for believe
  1. accept
  2. think
  3. understand
  4. guess
  5. take
  6. imagine
  7. trust
  8. consider
Verb
  • Note that Free People can only accept unopened and unused beauty and wellness products.
    — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The company told Fortune a local Tasker accepted and completed the delivery.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of accept
Verb
  • Most Americans don’t want more data centers and think AI is developing too fast.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Although the mattress developed some minor misshaping after a month of heavy use, Moon still thinks it’s packed with value.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of think
Verb
  • Weiss-Wolf’s advice emphasizes understanding your options and advocating for better health care, while recognizing that disclosing symptoms or requesting an accommodation can carry risks.
    — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Reynolds understood how to sell the new pen, too, with advertisements promising an avant-garde writing utensil, capable of enduring long stretches of writing with no need to replenish the ink.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of understand
Verb
  • Sorry to say it, but right now, guessing is what many are doing.
    — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • That Bell was the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes was still known to only a handful of people, including Robert Louis Stevenson, who had by then guessed the truth.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of guess
Verb
  • Allen took only two dribbles — one before midcourt and one after — gathered his feet, and pulled up from the left side of the arc.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Revell said that no arrests had yet been made, nor anyone taken into custody, but that police believed one shooter was involved.
    — Samantha Cookinham, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of take
Verb
  • Beirut City Pop, the latest compilation by archival label Habibi Funk, tells the story of the artists who dared to imagine a life beyond war.
    — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • For one thing, imagine an election campaign fought on populist policies such as raising welfare grants and public sector hiring sprees.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of imagine
Verb
  • While draft version histories are not sacred texts, being asked to share them in exchange for exoneration does introduce some thorny social questions about how much writers need to show an audience — or accuser — in order to be trusted.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Some voters say Trump’s optimism feels out of touch; many loyal supporters still trust his leadership and credit his policies despite feeling the squeeze.
    — Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of trust
Verb
  • Marketed under the brand name Keytruda, pembrolizumab is considered to be something of a wonder drug in its own right, with just 30% of patients relapsing in the first two years of treatment.
    — Mike McRae October 25, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Operators must consider what happens when that material eventually returns to Earth.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of consider

Phrases Containing believe

Browse Nearby Words

believably
believe
believed
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Cite this Entry

“Believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/believe. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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