Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense believes, present participle believing, past tense, past participle believed
1. verb
If you believe that something is true, you think that it is true, but you are not sure.
[formal]
Experts believe that the coming drought will be extensive. [VERB that]
I believe you have something of mine. [VERB that]
The main problem, I believe, lies elsewhere. [VERB]
We believe them to be hidden here in this apartment. [VERB noun to-infinitive]
'You've never heard of him?'—'I don't believe so.' [Vso]
[Also V n adj]
Synonyms: think, consider, judge, suppose More Synonyms of believe
2. verb
If you believe someone or if you believe what they say or write, you accept that they are telling the truth.
He did not sound as if he believed her. [VERB noun]
They no longer believe anything they are told. [VERB noun]
Don't believe what you read in the papers. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: accept, hold, buy [slang], trust More Synonyms of believe
3. verb
If you believein fairies, ghosts, or miracles, you are sure that they exist or happen. If you believein a god, you are sure of the existence of that god.
I don't believe in ghosts. [VERB + in]
Do you believe in magic? [VERB + in]
[Also VERB]
4. verb
If you believe in a way of life or an idea, you are in favour of it because you think it is good or right.
He believed in marital fidelity. [VERB + in]
...decent candidates who believed in democracy. [VERBin noun]
5. verb
If you believe in someone or what they are doing, you have confidence in them and think that they will be successful.
If you believe in yourself you can succeed. [VERB + in]
6. verb
Believe is used in expressions such as I can't believe how or it's hard to believe that in order to express surprise, for example because something bad has happened or something very difficult has been achieved.
[feelings]
Many officers I spoke to found it hard to believe what was happening around them. [VERB wh]
I was a physical and emotional wreck–I still can't believe how I ever got any workdone. [VERB wh]
[Also VERB that]
7.
See believe your eyes/believe your ears
8.
See believe it or not
9.
See would you believe it
10.
See believe you me
believe in British English
(bɪˈliːv)
verb
1. (tr; may take a clause as object)
to accept (a statement, supposition, or opinion) as true
I believe God exists
2. (transitive)
to accept the statement or opinion of (a person) as true
3. (intransitive; foll byin)
to be convinced of the truth or existence (of)
to believe in fairies
4. (intransitive)
to have religious faith
5. (when tr, takes a clause as object)
to think, assume, or suppose
I believe that he has left already
6. (tr; foll by of; used with can, could, would, etc)
to think that someone is able to do (a particular action)
I wouldn't have believed it of him
Derived forms
believability (beˈlievaˌbility)
noun
believable (beˈlievable)
adjective
believably (beˈlievably)
adverb
believer (beˈliever)
noun
believing (beˈlieving)
noun, adjective
Word origin
Old English beliefan
believe in American English
(bəˈliv; biˈliv)
verb transitiveWord forms: beˈlieved or beˈlieving
1.
to take as true, real, etc.
2.
to have confidence in a statement or promise of (another person)
3.
to suppose or think
verb intransitive
4.
to have trust or confidence (in) as being true, real, good, etc.
5.
to have religious faith
6.
to suppose or think
Derived forms
believable (beˈlievable)
adjective
believability (beˌlievaˈbility)
noun
believably (beˈlievably)
adverb
believer (beˈliever)
noun
Word origin
ME bileven < bi, be- + -leven, contr. < ileven < OE geliefan < IE base *leubh-, to like, desire > love, lief, L libido
Examples of 'believe' in a sentence
believe
If you don't believe me, go up there now and spend an hour in her company.
Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2001)
I believe in the law, whether you're rich or poor or cop or bad guy.
Lisa Scottoline LEGAL TENDER (2001)
Quotations
To believe with certainty we must begin with doubtingStanislaus I of PolandMaxims
Man can believe the impossible, but man can never believe the improbableOscar WildeThe Decay of Lying
We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believeCardinal NewmanLetter to Mrs William Froude
It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving, it consists in professing to believe what one does not believeThomas PaineThe Age of Reason
I can believe anything, provided that it is incredibleOscar WildeThe Picture of Dorian Gray
Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbeliefBible: St. Mark
Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believeBible: St. John
Though ye believe not me, believe the worksBible: St. John
In other languages
believe
British English: believe /bɪˈliːv/ VERB
think If you believe that something is true, you think that it is true.
Experts believe that the drought will be extensive.
American English: believe
Arabic: يُصَدِّقُ
Brazilian Portuguese: acreditar
Chinese: 相信
Croatian: smatrati
Czech: věřit
Danish: tro
Dutch: geloven voor waar aannemen
European Spanish: creer
Finnish: uskoa
French: croire
German: glauben
Greek: πιστεύω
Italian: credere
Japanese: 信じる
Korean: ...을 믿다
Norwegian: tro
Polish: uwierzyć
European Portuguese: acreditar
Romanian: a fi de părere
Russian: считать
Latin American Spanish: creer
Swedish: tro
Thai: เชื่อ
Turkish: inanmak
Ukrainian: вважати
Vietnamese: tin
British English: believe /bɪˈliːv/ VERB
in God etc If you believe in things such as God, fairies, or miracles, you are sure that they exist or happen.
I don't believe in ghosts.
American English: believe
Arabic: يُؤْمِنُ
Brazilian Portuguese: crer
Chinese: 笃信宗教
Croatian: vjerovati smatrati
Czech: věřit
Danish: tro
Dutch: geloven gelovig zijn
European Spanish: creer
Finnish: uskoa
French: croire
German: glauben
Greek: πιστεύω
Italian: credere
Japanese: 信仰する
Korean: 믿다
Norwegian: tro
Polish: uwierzyć
European Portuguese: crer
Romanian: a crede
Russian: верить
Latin American Spanish: creer
Swedish: tro
Thai: เลื่อมใส ศรัทธา
Turkish: inandırmak
Ukrainian: вірити
Vietnamese: tin tưởng
All related terms of 'believe'
make believe
If someone is living in a make-believe world , they are pretending that things are better , different , or more exciting than they really are instead of facing up to reality .
believe you me
You can use believe you me to emphasize that what you are saying is true .
believe it or not
You can use believe it or not to emphasize that what you have just said is surprising .
would you believe it
If you say would you believe it , you are emphasizing your surprise about something.
believe your eyes/believe your ears
If you say that you cannot believe your eyes or cannot believe your ears , you are emphasizing that you are very surprised about something you have seen or heard .
give to understand (or believe, etc.)
to cause to understand (or believe , etc.)
Chinese translation of 'believe'
believe
(bɪˈliːv)
vt
[person, story]相信 (xiāngxìn)
⇒ I didn't believe him.我不相信他。 (Wǒ bù xiāngxìn tā.)
vi
to believe in[God, ghosts]信 (xìn) [honesty, discipline]坚(堅)信 (jiānxìn)
⇒ I believe in being truthful.我相信诚实是好的。 (Wǒ xiāngxìn chéngshí shì hǎo de.)
to believe that ... 认(認)为(為) ... (rènwéi ... )
⇒ Experts believe that the drought will be extensive.专家们认为干旱的波及面会很广。 (Zhuānjiāmen rènwéi gānhàn de bōjímiàn huì hěn guǎng.)
he is believed to be abroad人们(們)认(認)为(為)他在国(國)外 (rénmen rènwéi tā zài guówài)
I don't believe in corporal punishment我不相信体(體)罚(罰)有益处(處) (wǒ bù xiāngxìn tǐfá yǒu yìchù)
to believe in sb/oneself对(對)某人/自己有信心 (duì mǒurén/zìjǐ yǒu xìnxīn)
如果你 believe 某事，你认为那是真的，即使你不能合理地证明。你可以 believe a claim， believe that 某事将要发生，或者 believe that 某事应该被完成。 No one ever believes the official answer ... I believed that I was at the beginning of a great adventure ... The government believes that such powers are essential. 如果你 believe in 上帝，你认为上帝是存在的。如果你 believe in 鬼，你认为世上有鬼。如果你 believe in 某事，诸如一个系统，你认为它能正常运转。如果你 believe in 做某事，你觉得这么做是对的。 Elaine believes in love ... The Kirks are a modern couple, and believe in dividing all tasks equally between them.
All related terms of 'believe'
to believe in
( God, ghosts ) 信 xìn
to believe that ...
认(認)为(為) ... rènwéi ... ⇒ Experts believe that the drought will be extensive. → 专家们认为干旱的波及面会很广。 Zhuānjiāmen rènwéi gānhàn de bōjímiàn huì hěn guǎng.
I can hardly believe it
我简(簡)直不能相信 wǒ jiǎnzhí bùnéng xiāngxìn
to believe in sb/oneself
对(對)某人/自己有信心 duì mǒurén/zìjǐ yǒu xìnxīn
I can scarcely believe it
我简(簡)直不能相信 wǒ jiǎnzhí bùnéng xiāngxìn
to lead sb to believe that ...
使某人相信 ... shǐ mǒurén xiāngxìn ...
I don't believe in corporal punishment
我不相信体(體)罚(罰)有益处(處) wǒ bù xiāngxìn tǐfá yǒu yìchù
it was naive of him to believe her
他真是天真，竟然相信了她 tā zhēn shì tiānzhēn, jìngrán xiāngxìnle tā
1 (verb)
Definition
to think, assume, or suppose
I believe you have something of mine.
Synonyms
think
I think he'll do a great job for us.
consider
I had always considered myself a strong, competent woman.
judge
It is important to judge the weight of your washing load.
suppose
The problem was more complex than he supposed.
maintain
estimate
Officials estimate it will be two days before electricity is restored to the island.
imagine
I imagine you're referring to me.
assume
It is a mistake to assume that the two are similar.
gather
I gather his report is highly critical of the project.
guess (informal)
I guess I'm just being paranoid.
reckon
He reckoned he was still fond of her.
conclude
We concluded that he was telling the truth.
deem
I would have quit my job if I had deemed it necessary.
speculate
The reader can speculate about what will happen next.
presume
I presume you're here on business.
conjecture
This may or may not be true; we are all conjecturing here.
postulate (formal)
Freud postulated that we all have a death instinct.
surmise
She surmised that they had discovered one of the illegal streets.
2 (verb)
Definition
to accept the statement or opinion of (a person) as true
Don't believe what you read in the papers.
Synonyms
accept
I do not accept that there is any kind of crisis in the industry.
hold
buy (slang)
I'm not buying any of that nonsense.
trust
‘I trust you completely,’ he said.
credit
You can't credit anything he says.
depend on
rely on
I know I can rely on you to sort it out.
swallow (informal)
I too found this story a little hard to swallow.
count on
buy into (slang)
have faith in
swear by
be certain of
be convinced of
place confidence in
presume true
take as gospel
take on (US)
Opposites
question
,
doubt
,
distrust
,
disbelieve
Phrasal verbs
See believe in someone
See believe in something
Quotations
To believe with certainty we must begin with doubting [Stanislaus I of Poland – Maxims]Man can believe the impossible, but man can never believe the improbable [Oscar Wilde – The Decay of Lying]We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe [Cardinal Newman – Letter to Mrs William Froude]It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving, it consists in professing to believe what one does not believe [Thomas Paine – The Age of Reason]I can believe anything, provided that it is incredible [Oscar Wilde – The Picture of Dorian Gray]Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief [Bible: St. Mark]Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe [Bible: St. John]Though ye believe not me, believe the works [Bible: St. John]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assume
Definition
to take to be true without proof
It is a mistake to assume that the two are similar.