believe

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Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /bɪˈliːv/
• (GA) IPA: /bɪˈliv/, /bi-/, /bə-/

Verb

believe (believes, present participle believing; past and past participle believed)

1. (transitive) To accept as true, particularly without absolute certainty (i.e., as opposed to knowing)

   If you believe the numbers, you'll agree we need change.

   I believe there are faeries.

   • 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Luke 1:1:

     Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us […]

2. (transitive) To accept that someone is telling the truth.

   Why did I ever believe you?

3. (intransitive) To have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth.

   After that night in the church, I believed.

4. (transitive) To opine, think, reckon

   Do you think this is good?

   Hmm, I believe it's okay.

Antonyms

• disbelieve

Related terms

• belief
• disbelief

Translations

• French: croire
• German: glauben
• Italian: credere
• Portuguese: acreditar, crer
• Russian: ве́рить
• Spanish: creer

Translations

• French: croire
• German: glauben
• Italian: credere
• Portuguese: acreditar, crer, confiar
• Russian: ве́рить
• Spanish: creer

Translations

• French: croire
• German: glauben
• Italian: credere
• Portuguese: acreditar, crer, achar
• Russian: полага́ть

Translations

• French: croire
• German: glauben
• Italian: credere
• Portuguese: acreditar, crer
• Russian: ве́рить
• Spanish: creer, tener fe

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