suspend one's disbelief

verb

To willingly accept the premise of a story or work of art, usually for the sake of enjoying it.

“Although the novel was quite far-fetched, I was willing to suspend my disbelief.”

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Meanings

verbsuspend one's disbelief (third-person singular simple present suspends one's disbelief, present participle suspending one's disbelief, simple past and past participle suspended one's disbelief)

present singular third person suspends one's disbelief · participle present suspending one's disbelief · participle past suspended one's disbelief · past suspended one's disbelief

  1. idiomaticTo willingly accept the premise of a story or work of art, usually for the sake of enjoying it.

    Although the novel was quite far-fetched, I was willing to suspend my disbelief.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 暫時擱置懷疑 /暂时搁置怀疑
  • 暫時擱置懷疑 /暂时搁置怀疑 (zànshí gēzhì huáiyí)willingly accept the premise of a story
Finnish heittää ennakkoluulot sivuun
  • heittää ennakkoluulot sivuunwillingly accept the premise of a story
Polish zawieszać niewiarę, zawiesić niewiarę
  • zawieszać niewiaręwillingly accept the premise of a story
  • zawiesić niewiaręwillingly accept the premise of a story
Cite this entry
APA

suspend one's disbelief. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suspend%20one's%20disbelief

MLA

“suspend one's disbelief.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suspend%20one's%20disbelief. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “suspend one's disbelief,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/suspend%20one's%20disbelief.

Source: suspend one's disbelief on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.