Meanings
present singular third person believes · participle present believing · participle past believed · past believed · first person past singular believed · archaic present second person singular believest · past second person singular believed · archaic past second person singular believedst · present singular third person believes · archaic present singular third person believeth · past singular third person believed · past plural believed · past subjunctive believed · participle present believing · participle past believed · alternative obsolete beleeve
- transitiveTo accept as true, particularly without absolute certainty (i.e., as opposed to knowing).
I believe there are faeries.
4 more examples
If you believe the numbers, you'll agree we need change.
FOꝛaſmuch as many haue taken in hande to ſet fooꝛth in oꝛder a declaration of thoſe things which are most ſurely beleeued among vs[…]
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 1:1Many persons believe that the so-called "dollar of the daddies," weighing 412½ grains (nine tenths fine), having a ratio to gold of "16 to 1" in value when first coined, was the original dollar of the Constitution.
1898 September 28, Alexander E. Outerbridge Jr., “Curiosities of American Coinage”, in Popular Science Monthly, volume 53, D. Appleton & Company, page 601[Isaac Newton] was obsessed with alchemy. He spent hours copying alchemical recipes and trying to replicate them in his laboratory. He believed that the Bible contained numerological codes.
2014 June 21, “Magician’s brain”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8892, archived from the original on 09 Jan 2025 - transitiveTo accept that someone is telling the truth.
Why did I ever believe you?
1 more example
BEloued, beleeue not euery ſpirit, but trie the ſpirits, whether they are of God: becauſe many falſe prophets are gone out into the woꝛld.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 John 4:1Synonyms: trust, Adam and Eve
- To have been persuaded to accept the factuality of something despite a lack of sufficient evidence therefore.
- transitiveTo have been convinced by rational means to accept the truth of a proposition.
- transitiveTo have been influenced by arational means (such as emotional experience, the imagination of need, etc.) to accept the truth of a proposition.
- intransitiveTo have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth.
After that night in the church, I believed.
1 more example
[N]ow ſuch a liue vngodly, vvithout a care of doing the wil of the Lord (though they profeſſe him in their mouths, yea though they beleeue and acknowledge all the Articles of the Creed, yea haue knowledge of the Scripturs) yet if they liue vngodly, they deny God, and therefore ſhal be denied, […]
1604, Jeremy Corderoy, A Short Dialogve, wherein is Proved, that No Man can be Saved without Good VVorkes, 2nd edition, Oxford: Printed by Ioseph Barnes, and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Crowne, by Simon Waterson, →OCLC, page 40 - transitiveTo opine, think, reckon.
Do you think this is good? —Hmm, I believe it's okay.
2 more examples
“Some people believe him charismatic,” Van Assen told me. “I am less sensitive to it.”
2017 February 1, Stephen Buranyi, quoting Marcel van Assen, “The high-tech war on science fraud”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 21 Feb 2025He believes that self-improvement and its growing popularity are symptoms of what he calls individualism.
2019 May 2, Nina Avramova, “When you should use self-help programs and when to skip them”, in CNN, archived from the original on 13 Jun 2025Synonyms: hold
- [with in]
- To believe that (something) is right or desirable.
I don't believe in making my bed.
3 more examples
I don't believe in sex before marriage.
I'm happy to tell you there is very little in this world that I believe in.
1997, George Carlin, “Preface”, in Brain Droppings, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page xiThe couple is one of the celebrities who believed in open relationships.
2017 June 23, “Is spokes model Cindy Margolis married or single after her divorce with Guy Starkman, Know her current affairs”, in Hitberry.com, archived from the original on 26 Apr 2025 - To have confidence in the ability or power of.
I believe in you, man! You can do it!
2 more examples
I believe in America. America has made my fortune and I raised my daughter in the American fashion.
1972 March 14, Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola, The Godfather, spoken by Bonasera (Salvatore Corsitto), Paramount PicturesAmbassador Udina: The other species are scared. They've never faced anything like this before and they don't know what to do. They want us to step forward. They believe in humanity because of you. Ambassador Udina: Your ruthless pursuit of Saren and the geth, your defiance of the Council -- that's what humans are capable of! That's how we can defeat the Reapers! Ambassador Udina: The others will follow us, Shepard. They know we're their only hope. We will have a human Council with a human Chairman.
2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo accept as true, particularly without absolute certainty (i.e., as opposed to knowing).
verbTo accept that someone is telling the truth.
verbTo opine, think, reckon.
antonym(s) of “to accept as true without certainty”
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁ep-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁éps
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁épi
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁pi
- Proto-Germanic*bi
- Proto-Germanic*bi-
- Proto-West Germanic*bi-
- Proto-Indo-European*lewbʰ-
- Proto-Germanic*laubō
- Proto-Germanic*laubijaną
- Proto-West Germanic*laubijan
- Proto-West Germanic*bilaubijan
- Old Englishbelīefan
- Middle Englishbileven
- Englishbelieve
From Middle English beleven, bileven, from Old English belīefan (“to believe”), from Proto-West Germanic *bilaubijan (“to believe”), equivalent to be- + leave (“to give leave or permission to, permit, allow, grant”). Cognate with Scots beleve (“to believe”), Old Frisian bilēva (“to permit”), Middle Dutch beloven (“to believe, entrust”), Middle Low German belö̂ven (“to believe”), Middle High German belouben (“to believe”). A related term in Old English was ġelīefan (“to be dear to; believe, trust”), from Proto-West Germanic *galaubijan (“to have faith, believe”), from Proto-Germanic *galaubijaną. Compare also Old English ġelēafa (“belief, faith, confidence, trust”), Old English lēof ("dear, valued, beloved, pleasant, agreeable" > English lief). Related also to North Frisian leauwjen (“to believe”), Saterland Frisian leeuwe (“to believe”), West Frisian leauwe (“to believe”), Dutch geloven (“to believe”), German Low German glöven (“to believe”), German glauben (“to believe”), Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌾𐌰𐌽 (galaubjan, “to hold dear, valuable, or satisfactory, approve of, believe”). The prepositionally transitive senses with in are a semantic loan from Latin crēdō in aliquem / aliquid.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans glo, glo
- gloto accept as true
- gloto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- gloto consider likely
Ancient Greek νομίζω, πιστεύω
- νομίζω (nomízō)to accept as true
- πιστεύω (pisteúō)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Arabic صَدَّقَ, صَدَّقَ
- صَدَّقَ (ṣaddaqa)to accept as true
- صَدَّقَ (ṣaddaqa)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- ظَنَّ (ẓanna)to consider likely
- آمَنَ (ʔāmana)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- صَدَّقَ (ṣaddaqa)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- آمَنَ بِـ (ʔāmana bi-)to ascribe existence to
Bengali বিশ্বাস
- বিশ্বাস (biśśaś)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Bulgarian вя́рвам, смя́там
- вя́рвам (vjárvam)to accept as true
- смя́там (smjátam)to accept as true
- ми́сля (míslja)to accept as true
- вя́рвам (vjárvam)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- смя́там (smjátam)to consider likely
- ми́сля (míslja)to consider likely
- вя́рвам (vjárvam)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Catalan creure, creure
- creureto accept as true
- creureto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Chinese Mandarin 相信, 相信
- 相信 (xiāngxìn)to accept as true
- 相信 (xiāngxìn)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- 覺得 /觉得 (juéde)to consider likely
- 信仰 (xìnyǎng)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- 信仰 (xìnyǎng)to ascribe existence to
Czech věřit, věřit
- věřitto accept as true
- věřitto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- mysletto consider likely
- věřitto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Danish tro, tro
- troto accept as true
- troto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- troto consider likely
- meneto consider likely
- troto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Dutch geloven, geloven
- gelovento accept as true
- gelovento accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- gelovento consider likely
- denkento consider likely
- gelovento have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- geloven into ascribe existence to
- geloven into believe that something is right or desirable
- geloven into have confidence in
Esperanto kredi, fidi
- kredito accept as true
- fidito accept as true
- kredi jeto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- kredito accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- kredito consider likely
- kredito have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- fidito have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Estonian uskuma, uskuma
- uskumato accept as true
- uskumato accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- uskumato consider likely
- uskumato have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Finnish uskoa, uskoa
- uskoato accept as true
- uskoato accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- uskoato consider likely
- uskoato have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- uskoato ascribe existence to
- uskoato believe that something is right or desirable
- uskoato have confidence in
French croire, croire
- croireto accept as true
- croireto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- croireto consider likely
- penserto consider likely
- croireto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- croire àto ascribe existence to
- croire ento ascribe existence to
German glauben, glauben
- glaubento accept as true
- glaubento accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- glaubento consider likely
- denkento consider likely
- glaubento have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- glauben anto ascribe existence to
- glauben anto have confidence in
Greek πιστεύω, πιστεύω
- πιστεύω (pistévo)to accept as true
- πιστεύω (pistévo)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- πιστεύω (pistévo)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Hebrew הֶאֱמִין, הֶאֱמִין
- הֶאֱמִין (he'emín)to accept as true
- הֶאֱמִין (he'emín)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- הֶאֱמִין (he'emín)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Hindi सच्चा, सत्य
- सच्चा (saccā)to accept as true
- सत्य (satya)to accept as true
- मानना (mānnā)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- आस्था (āsthā)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- श्रद्धा (śraddhā)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Hungarian hisz
- hiszto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Icelandic trúa
- trúato accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Indonesian percaya, memercayai
- percayato accept as true
- memercayaito accept as true
- percayato accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- memercayaito accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- yakinto consider likely
- berimanto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Irish creid, creid
- creidto accept as true
- creidto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- creidto consider likely
- creidto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- creid ito ascribe existence to
- creid ito believe that something is right or desirable
- iontaoibh a bheith agatto have confidence in
- muinín a bheith agatto have confidence in
Italian credere, credere
- credereto accept as true
- credereto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- credereto consider likely
- credereto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Japanese 信じる, 信じる
- 信じる (shinjiru)to accept as true
- 信じる (shinjiru)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- 思う (omou)to consider likely
- 信じる (shinjiru)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Korean 믿다, 믿다
- 믿다 (mitda)to accept as true
- 믿다 (mitda)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- 생각하다 (saenggakhada)to consider likely
Latin crēdō, crēdō
- crēdōto accept as true
- crēdōto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- crēdōto consider likely
Latvian ticēt, ticēt
- ticētto accept as true
- ticētto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Lithuanian tikėti, patikėti
- tikėtito accept as true
- patikėtito accept as true
- tikėtito accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Malay percaya
- percayato accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Norwegian Bokmål tro, tro
- troto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- troto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Polish wierzyć, sądzić
- wierzyćto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- sądzićto consider likely
- przypuszczaćto consider likely
- myślećto consider likely
- wierzyćto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- wierzyć wto ascribe existence to
- wierzyćto believe that something is right or desirable
- wierzyćto have confidence in
Portuguese acreditar, crer
- acreditarto accept as true
- crerto accept as true
- confiarto accept as true
- acreditarto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- crerto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- acreditarto consider likely
- crerto consider likely
- acharto consider likely
- acreditarto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- crerto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Romanian crede, crede
- credeto accept as true
- credeto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Russian ве́рить, пове́рить
- ве́рить (véritʹ)to accept as true
- пове́рить (povéritʹ)to accept as true
- ве́рить (véritʹ)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- пове́рить (povéritʹ)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- полага́ть (polagátʹ)to consider likely
- счита́ть (sčitátʹ)to consider likely
- ду́мать (dúmatʹ)to consider likely
- ве́рить (véritʹ)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- пове́рить (povéritʹ)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- ве́ровать (vérovatʹ)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- ве́рить в (véritʹ v)to ascribe existence to
Scottish Gaelic smaoinich, saoil
- smaoinichto consider likely
- saoilto consider likely
Slovak veriť, veriť
- veriťto accept as true
- veriťto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Spanish creer, creer
- creerto accept as true
- creerto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- creerto consider likely
- creerto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- tener feto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Swedish tro, tro
- troto accept as true
- troto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- troto consider likely
- förmodato consider likely
- antato consider likely
- troto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- troto ascribe existence to
Tagalog maniwala, maniwala
- maniwalato accept as true
- maniwalato accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Tamil ஏற்க, ஏற்றுக்கொள்
- ஏற்க (ēṟka)to accept as true
- ஏற்றுக்கொள் (ēṟṟukkoḷ)to accept as true
- ஒப்புக்கொள் (oppukkoḷ)to accept as true
- நம்பு (nampu)to accept as true
- நம்பு (nampu)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- நினை (niṉai)to consider likely
- நம்பு (nampu)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- நம்பு (nampu)to ascribe existence to
- நினை (niṉai)to believe that something is right or desirable
- உறுதி (uṟuti)to have confidence in
- நம்பு (nampu)to have confidence in
Thai เชื่อ
- เชื่อ (chʉ̂ʉa)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Turkish inanmak, inanmak
- inanmakto accept as true
- inanmakto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- inanmakto consider likely
- inanmakto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- inanmakto ascribe existence to
- inanmakto believe that something is right or desirable
- güvenmekto have confidence in
- inanmakto have confidence in
Ukrainian ві́рити, ві́рити
- ві́рити (víryty)to accept as true
- ві́рити (víryty)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- пові́рити (povíryty)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- вважа́ти (vvažáty)to consider likely
- ду́мати (dúmaty)to consider likely
- ві́рувати (víruvaty)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- ві́рити (víryty)to have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
- ві́рити в (víryty v)to ascribe existence to
Urdu مانْنا, اِعْتِبار کَرْنا
- مانْنا (mānnā)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- اِعْتِبار کَرْنا (i'tibār karnā)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- یَقِین کَرْنا (yaqīn karnā)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Vietnamese tin, tin tưởng
- tinto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- tin tưởngto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Welsh credu, credu
- creduto accept as true
- creduto accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
- creduto consider likely
- creduto have religious faith; to believe in a greater truth
Yiddish גלייבן
- גלייבן (gleybn)to accept that someone is telling the truth (object: person)
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with believe
Sounds the same
Cite this entry
believe. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/believe
“believe.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/believe. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “believe,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/believe.
Source: believe on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.