disbelief

noun

ˌdis-bə-ˈlēf How to pronounce disbelief (audio)
Definition of disbeliefnext
as in skepticism
refusal to accept something as true their story explaining their absence was met with frank disbelief

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 disbelief Our server reads our order back to us, shaking his head in theatrical disbelief. — Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 Another customer who was standing in between the singer and employee at the register during the showdown appears to look around in disbelief at what just happened after the hitmaker exits. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026 For parents Shayna and David Lagares, the news brought its own share of disbelief. — Marlee Ginter, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 In her comment section, LaPaglia gave credit to Grace Gambaro, the original TikTok creator who expressed her disbelief in the designer hauls made by influencers. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disbelief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disbelief
  1. skepticism
  2. doubt
  3. incredulity
  4. suspicion
  5. unbelief
Noun
  • But during an hourslong hearing on Tuesday, Carter expressed skepticism, saying that setting aside so many ballots could disenfranchise legitimate voters.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Attacks by Palestinian terrorist groups throughout the 1990s deepened Israelis’ skepticism about the prospects of peace, which helped to bring Netanyahu to power in 1996.
    — Dalia Dassa Kaye, Foreign Affairs, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of skepticism
Noun
  • Election deniers are using public records to sow doubt in California.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Those fiscal strains come as political volatility and social unrest raise doubts about the government’s ability to deliver measures aimed at stabilizing the public finances.
    — Jenni Reid,Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of doubt
Noun
  • His famous patient passes away 25 minutes into the film; the remaining 86 minutes focus on Garofalo’s legal maneuverings and his own incredulity at virtually every part of the process of being put through the public wringer.
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
  • This incredulity is likely because people expect confidence in a memory’s accuracy to reflect its objective accuracy.
    — Elizabeth A. Phelps, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of incredulity
Noun
  • Russia has not taken responsibility for the attacks, but suspicion has fallen on Moscow.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • But under the weight of those allegations, state officials say the once-collaborative rapport between the federal government and state leaders has in some cases given way to a deep sense of suspicion.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of suspicion
Noun
  • 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
  • But the indirect benefits seem to reflect a posture against green energy, related to unbelief in climate change, and these lead to support for inefficient energy alternatives like nuclear and geothermal and gas-fired turbines.
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Definition of unbelief

Browse Nearby Words

disbars
disbelief
disbeliefs
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Cite this Entry

“Disbelief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disbelief. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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