Belief is a feeling of certainty that something exists, is true, or is good.
... a traditional eastern belief in reincarnation. [+ in]
...a belief in personal liberty. [+ in]
Synonyms: trust, confidence, faith, conviction More Synonyms of belief
2. plural noun
Your religious or political beliefs are your views on religious or political matters.
He refuses to compete on Sundays because of his religious beliefs.
Synonyms: faith, principles, doctrine, ideology More Synonyms of belief
3. singular noun [usu N that]
If it is your belief that something is the case, it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
It is our belief that improvements in health care will lead to a stronger economy.
4.
See beyond belief
5.
See contrary to popular belief
6.
See in the belief that
More Synonyms of belief
belief in British English
(bɪˈliːf)
noun
1.
a principle, proposition, idea, etc, accepted as true
2.
opinion; conviction
3.
religious faith
4.
trust or confidence, as in a person or a person's abilities, probity, etc
belief in American English
(bəˈlif; biˈlif)
noun
1.
the state of believing; conviction or acceptance that certain things are true or real
2.
faith, esp. religious faith
3.
trust or confidence
I have belief in his ability
4.
anything believed or accepted as true; esp., a creed, doctrine, or tenet
5.
an opinion; expectation; judgment
my belief is that he'll come
SIMILAR WORDS: oˈpinion
SYNONYMY NOTE: belief, the term of broadest application in this comparison, implies mental acceptance ofsomething as true, even though absolute certainty may be absent; , faith implies complete, unquestioning acceptance of something even in the absence of proofand, esp., of something not supported by reason; , trust implies assurance, often apparently intuitive, in the reliability of someone or something;, confidence also suggests such assurance, esp. when based on reason or evidence; , credence suggests mere mental acceptance of something that may have no solid basis in fact
OPPOSITES: doubt, incredulity
Word origin
ME bileve < bi-, be- + -leve, contr. < ileve < OE geleafa: see believe
COBUILD Collocations
belief
common belief
deep belief
defy belief
false belief
firm belief
genuine belief
growing belief
hold beliefs
inner belief
irrational beliefs
naive belief
profound belief
reinforce the belief
share a belief
strengthen a belief
strengthen the belief
unshakeable belief
widespread belief
Examples of 'belief' in a sentence
belief
And an asking price that beggars belief.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Only the cynics who could change their belief systems overnight flourished.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
For us it was one of those days and it gave our team a lot of belief.
The Sun (2016)
The moon goes to the top of your chart to give you a stronger belief in your abilities.
The Sun (2016)
He gives them belief and confidence.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It won't take long because he has no real political beliefs.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Belief and conviction brings energy and drive because there is a clear objective set out before the players and they know where they are going.
The Sun (2016)
A successful Brexit will need people with total belief in it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We know they play good football but we go there with belief and confidence.
The Sun (2007)
This means they understand that people have different beliefs from their own.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This is certainly true of beliefs in the importance of freedom of conscience.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
To have and to express my feelings and beliefs.
Bethune, Helen Positive Parent Power (1991)
Your older brother has been thrown in jail for his political beliefs.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This is a year of luck but you may have to question old belief systems.
The Sun (2015)
One of their beliefs is that you can only help yourself if you help others.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They are increasingly strident in their belief that something new needs to be tried.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We have a strong belief that this is going to be our season.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
But separation from interests does not necessarily free one from ideological beliefs and commitments.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We have a strong team and need to show confidence and belief.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
That he could ride as he did while in such discomfort almost beggars belief.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He has lost confidence and lost belief in the person in charge because he has messed him about.
The Sun (2015)
You need integrity, belief and the conviction to take risks.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
If you have belief, good players and confidence then anything is possible.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's a popular belief that moving to the country means rural bliss and tranquillity.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But although she is slight in appearance, her beliefs and convictions are anything but.
The Sun (2009)
They must mourn the loss of the foundation of basic trust, the belief in a good parent.
Herman, Judith Lewis Trauma and Recovery (1992)
For those of us who have received the gift of leadership from the people we lead, this belief has enormous implications.
Christianity Today (2000)
He sees the sacrifice of individual doubt and uncertainty in favour of a rigid set of political beliefs as inevitably leading to a surrender of poetic value.
The Times Literary Supplement (2008)
In other languages
belief
British English: belief /bɪˈliːf/ NOUN
Belief is a feeling of certainty that something exists, is true, or is good.
...a belief in reincarnation.
American English: belief
Arabic: اِعْتِقَاد
Brazilian Portuguese: crença
Chinese: 信念
Croatian: vjerovanje
Czech: víra
Danish: tro
Dutch: geloof vertrouwen
European Spanish: creencia
Finnish: uskomus
French: croyance
German: Glaube
Greek: πεποίθηση
Italian: fede
Japanese: 信頼
Korean: 믿음
Norwegian: tro
Polish: przekonanie wiara
European Portuguese: crença
Romanian: credință
Russian: вера
Latin American Spanish: creencia
Swedish: övertygelse
Thai: ความเชื่อมั่น
Turkish: inanç
Ukrainian: віра
Vietnamese: lòng tin
All related terms of 'belief'
deep belief
Belief is a feeling of certainty that something exists, is true , or is good.
defy belief
Belief is a feeling of certainty that something exists, is true, or is good.
firm belief
If it is your belief that something is the case, it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
self-belief
Self-belief is confidence in your own abilities or judgment .
belief system
The belief system of a person or society is the set of beliefs that they have about what is right and wrong and what is true and false .
beyond belief
You use beyond belief to emphasize that something is true to a very great degree or that it happened to a very great degree.
common belief
If it is your belief that something is the case , it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
false belief
If it is your belief that something is the case, it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
inner belief
If it is your belief that something is the case , it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
naive belief
Belief is a feeling of certainty that something exists, is true , or is good.
genuine belief
If it is your belief that something is the case, it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
growing belief
If it is your belief that something is the case, it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
profound belief
Belief is a feeling of certainty that something exists, is true , or is good.
share a belief
If it is your belief that something is the case, it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
unshakeable belief
If it is your belief that something is the case , it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
widespread belief
If it is your belief that something is the case, it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
in the belief that
If you do one thing in the belief that another thing is true or will happen , you do it because you think , usually wrongly, that it is true or will happen.
reinforce the belief
Belief is a feeling of certainty that something exists, is true , or is good.
strengthen a belief
If it is your belief that something is the case, it is your strong opinion that it is the case.
strengthen the belief
Belief is a feeling of certainty that something exists, is true , or is good.
beggar belief/beggar description
If something beggars belief , it is impossible to believe it. If something beggars description , it is impossible to describe it.
contrary to popular belief
You use contrary to popular belief to introduce a statement that is the opposite to what is thought to be true by most ordinary people.
Chinese translation of 'belief'
belief
(bɪˈliːf)
n
(u/s) (= opinion) 看法 (kànfǎ)
(c/u) (= trust, faith) 信仰 (xìnyǎng) (种(種), zhǒng)
contrary to popular belief与(與)普遍观(觀)点(點)相反的是 (yǔ pǔbiàn guāndiǎn xiāngfǎn de shì)
beyond belief难(難)以置信 (nányǐ zhìxìn)
in the belief that相信 (xiāngxìn)
1 (noun)
Definition
trust or confidence
a belief in personal liberty
Synonyms
trust
There's a feeling of warmth and trust here.
confidence
I have every confidence in you.
faith
She had placed a great deal of faith in him.
conviction
Their religious convictions prevented them from taking up arms.
reliance
If you respond immediately, you will guarantee people's reliance on you.
hopefulness
Opposites
doubt
,
disbelief
,
scepticism
,
distrust
,
mistrust
,
incredulity
,
dubiety
2 (noun)
Definition
a principle, etc., accepted as true, often without proof
He refuses to compete on Sundays because of his religious beliefs.
Synonyms
faith
England shifted officially from a Catholic to a Protestant faith in the 16th century.
principles
doctrine
the Marxist doctrine of perpetual revolution
ideology
capitalist ideology
creed
The centre is open to all, no matter what race or creed.
dogma
the dogma of the Immaculate Conception
tenet
Non-violence is the central tenet of their faith.
credence
Seismologists give this idea little credence.
credo
3 (noun)
Definition
opinion
It is my belief that a common ground can be found.
Synonyms
opinion
Most who expressed an opinion spoke favourably of her.
feeling
She has strong feelings about the growth in violence.
idea
Some of his ideas about democracy are entirely his own.
view
You should make your views known to your local MP.
theory
There is a theory that they met each other a few years ago.
impression
My impression is that they are totally out of control.
assessment
He was referred to a specialist for assessment.
notion
the notion that musical ability is present from birth
He has a realistic notion of his capabilities.
judgment
In your judgment, what has changed over the past few years?
point of view
His point of view is that money isn't everything.
sentiment
The Foreign Secretary echoed this sentiment.
persuasion
people who are of a different political persuasion
presumption
the presumption that a defendant is innocent until proved guilty
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assessment
He was referred to a specialist for assessment.
Synonyms
judgment,
analysis,
determination,
evaluation,
valuation,
appraisal,
estimation,
rating,
opinion,
estimate,
computation
in the sense of confidence
Definition
trust in a person or thing
I have every confidence in you.
Synonyms
trust,
belief,
faith,
dependence,
reliance,
credence
in the sense of conviction
Definition
to be convincing
Their religious convictions prevented them from taking up arms.