belief

noun

be·​lief bə-ˈlēf How to pronounce belief (audio)
1
: a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing
her belief in God
a belief in democracy
I bought the table in the belief that it was an antique.
contrary to popular belief
2
: something that is accepted, considered to be true, or held as an opinion : something believed
an individual's religious or political beliefs
especially : a tenet or body of tenets held by a group
the beliefs of the Catholic Church
3
: conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence
belief in the validity of scientific statements
Choose the Right Synonym for belief

belief, faith, credence, credit mean assent to the truth of something offered for acceptance.

belief may or may not imply certitude in the believer.

my belief that I had caught all the errors

faith almost always implies certitude even where there is no evidence or proof.

an unshakable faith in God

credence suggests intellectual assent without implying anything about grounds for assent.

a theory now given credence by scientists

credit may imply assent on grounds other than direct proof.

gave full credit to the statement of a reputable witness

synonyms see in addition opinion

Examples of belief in a Sentence

There is growing belief that these policies will not succeed. He gets angry if anyone challenges his religious beliefs. We challenged his beliefs about religion.
Recent Examples on the Web These behaviors, along with maladaptive beliefs, greatly affect the personal, social, and work lives of people with NPD.1 11 Signs of Borderline Personality Disorder 1. Catherine Dibenedetto, Health, 19 Mar. 2024 That’s in part based on the belief that large blazes were once rare, so plants and animals don’t readily recover. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 Even more darkly, Pilkington believes that the U.S. government has frequently stoked popular belief in UFOs as a means of manipulating the public’s perception of its secret activities. Lucas Ropek / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024 Her belief in my vision and willingness to support me and my climate change clothing line, in such a significant way reinforced the notion that success is not achieved in isolation but through collaboration and camaraderie. Stephanie Dillon, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2024 Brown’s work on poker and Diplomacy was particularly impressive because his models take into account the beliefs and psychology of other players—but those players are still operating in a constrained setting, with clear rules. Cal Newport, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024 Much of that may be down to a belief that there is no viable alternative – a situation the Kremlin has assiduously worked to create – or a fear that anything that replaces him might be worse. Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Mar. 2024 The belief that more should be done to support Israel is highest among Republicans (60%). Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 Feminism needs rebranding because it is increasingly being perceived as encapsulating an anti-male belief system that aims to elbow men out of the way so that women can prosper. Luba Kassova, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'belief.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beleave, probably alteration of Old English gelēafa, from ge-, associative prefix + lēafa; akin to Old English lȳfan — more at believe

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of belief was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near belief

Cite this Entry

“Belief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belief. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

belief

noun
be·​lief bə-ˈlēf How to pronounce belief (audio)
1
: a feeling sure that someone or something exists or is true or trustworthy
a belief in Santa Claus
a belief in democracy
2
: something that one thinks is true
political beliefs

Legal Definition

belief

noun
be·​lief
: a degree of conviction of the truth of something especially based on a consideration or examination of the evidence compare knowledge, suspicion

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