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 Police believe that Corsette was killed sometime between Feb. 20 and 24, following a dispute between Corsette, Gress and Brandes. Corsette was reported missing to Gulfport Police on Feb. 24. — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 8 Mar. 2025 Investigators believe that Gridley’s victims ranged in age from 6 to 11 years old. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 8 Mar. 2025 Betsy's autopsy determined the manner of death as natural, and authorities believe Betsy died on about Feb. 11. — Tracy Wright, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025 Some believe the move will encourage other nations to formalize their own Bitcoin reserves, accelerating institutional adoption. — Tonya M. Evans, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 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. consider
Verb
  • Some colleges do not accept the Common Application, including the University of California System, the service academies, MIT and Georgetown.
    — Scott White, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Last year, the country accepted more than 100,000 refugees through the program.
    — Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of accept
Verb
  • Freedom girls head coach Mike Bush thought Clermont’s 2024 finish led to Saturday’s win.
    — Steve Gorches, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2025
  • At first, paramedics thought the dog wanted to play.
    — Rick Jervis, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of think
Verb
  • The real stories of the game and its people from someone who lives it and understands it better than any member of the media who has never played the game ever could.
    — Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Teaching kids how to understand and handle their emotions builds resilience.
    — Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of understand
Verb
  • Avoid guessing or making up a story that misrepresents the financial facts.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Hackman, whose pacemaker activity made his last day alive easier to guess, likely died a week later.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of guess
Verb
  • Happening today: 🍀 Whitewater Center's Green River Revival | 9am-5pm | $12 parking Go rafting down the green river, take a yoga flow and enjoy live music.
    — McKenzie Rankin, Axios, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Thank God President Donald J. Trump has decided to allow his Senate confirmed Cabinet members to take greater control of the manpower needs in their respective departments.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of take
Verb
  • Just imagining who could play Colman Smith in a TV or movie version of Pixie is enough to seriously excite the producers strutting the Olympia halls.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Like, imagine how different the world would be if police officers had this same energy for, say, the NYPD, killing hundreds of civilian complaints accusing the department of misconduct.
    — Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of imagine
Verb
  • The multi-year security Marchand wanted beyond this season, then, was too much for Sweeney to assume considering the risk of injuries and decline.
    — Fluto Shinzawa, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
  • If your name is already taken, consider adding your industry or credentials (e.g., linkedin.com/in/johndoeconsulting).
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of consider

Phrases Containing believe

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Cite this Entry

“Believe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/believe. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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