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

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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 The share of parents who believe their children share their commitment to giving back fell even more sharply to 65% from 76%. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026 The country’s deputy Ombudsman, Paula Aponte, said in a statement that her office has sought further information from other state agencies on the Colombian nationals believed to have died in the attacks, but with little success. — Nathan Jaccard, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 The impact of Pickens' only two receptions in the 34-30 victory illustrates perfectly what coach Brian Schottenheimer believes about the Dallas offense. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 It is believed that the co-pilot likely acted alone, the source said. — Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 5 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
  • AccuPoint does not charge an application fee or accept compensation from firms or any other parties for inclusion on the Financial Advisor 100 list.
    — Kelli Grant, CFP®,Riley de León, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Korean star Han Ji-min accepted The Hollywood Reporter’s Trailblazer Award at a glitzy gala high above Busan on Wednesday night, promising that her creative journey was only just beginning.
    — Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of accept
Verb
  • Boosted by Heated Rivalry, Crave recorded just over 5 million subs in Bell’s most recent results, and is eyeing 6 million by end of 2028, but Cohan is thinking beyond that.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Even among Republicans, less than half (45%) think Trump will follow through.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of think
Verb
  • If a degree needs to equip students for life outside of college, then a big part of that is understanding what employers are looking for.
    — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • In addition to developing better medicines or perfumes, deciphering the mirror images of molecules can help scientists understand the chemical architecture of life, said chemist Holden Thorp, editor-in-chief of the journal Science.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of understand
Verb
  • With the advent of AI, virtual job fairs and the general dehumanization of hiring, guess what is making a mild comeback?
    — John M. O'Connor, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • And then, the decision that will be second guessed in San Diego for years to come, if the Padres don't complete the big comeback.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of guess
Verb
  • Chandler primarily uses his guitars to produce radar sweeps of drone, which allows Schwendener’s bass to take full responsibility for Beat’s melodies.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Then last year, during the mass federal government turnover, Brower took a buyout from her job as a public health consultant, and Simone said their position with the General Services Administration was eliminated.
    — KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of take
Verb
  • Our work re-imagines these ancient tombs as theatrical spaces, built to perpetuate a form of metaphysical human experience.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • But what chance would American soldiers have against a country whose military doctrine has already imagined active resistance in populated areas, backed by citizens who could potentially provide intelligence, surveillance and other forms of support?
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of imagine
Verb
  • In the absence of any sustained challenge to their power, elites seem to trust their capacity to continually outmaneuver the majority of the population regardless of whether or not they are actually trusted.
    — Via Haymarket Books, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Even extensive scrutiny cannot remove the need to trust the people making those decisions.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of trust
Verb
  • Large employers are considered to be sophisticated in their drug spending management.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • However, its three questions asked whether people consider the chatbot a friend, are polite to it, and miss it after a few days.
    — Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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