believe

believe — verb

1. to think that a statement, story, or person is telling the truth, or that someth

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

to think that a statement, story, or person is telling the truth, or that something really exists or will happen

Example

Many parents believe that the new library will help local children.

believe + that-clause

Rita believed the witness because his account matched the camera footage.

believe + person

Common collocations
  • believe a story
  • believe a witness
  • believe a photo is real
  • firmly believe that
Synonyms
  • think

    more general and often weaker, used for personal opinions

  • trust

    puts more focus on confidence in the person

  • accept

    often suggests a decision after hearing proof or argument

  • suppose

    usually sounds less certain

Antonyms
  • doubt

    shows uncertainty about whether something is true

  • question

    suggests active doubt or challenge

Grammar Patterns

believe + that-clause

believe + object

believe + object + to-infinitive

believe + object + adjective

Usage Note

Often followed by a that-clause when you judge an idea or report. With a human object, believe usually means accepting what that person says, as in 'I believe you'.

Common Mistakes

I believe in that he is honest.
I believe that he is honest.
do not add 'in' before a that-clause.
She believes to him.
She believes him.
with a person, 'believe' takes a direct object.

2. to feel that a claim, excuse, or report is not true or is too unlikely to accept

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveA2
Definition

to feel that a claim, excuse, or report is not true or is too unlikely to accept

Example

The judge did not believe the driver's excuse about the broken clock.

not believe + noun

Few neighbors believed that the empty house was really haunted.

believe + that-clause after doubt

Common collocations
  • not believe an excuse
  • not believe a word
  • no longer believe
  • hardly believe that
Synonyms
  • doubt

    the most common everyday verb for feeling unconvinced

  • distrust

    focuses more on the person than on the statement

  • disbelieve

    more formal and less common in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • believe

    accepts the statement as true

  • accept

    often suggests agreeing after hearing facts

Grammar Patterns

not believe + noun

not believe + that-clause

no longer believe + noun

Usage Note

Usually appears in negative or limiting forms such as don't believe, can't believe, hardly believe, or no longer believe. Distinguish from sense 1, which accepts something as true instead of rejecting it.

Common Mistakes

I don't believe to his story.
I don't believe his story.
use a direct object, not 'to'.

3. used before a piece of news that sounds impossible, to show that it is neverthel

3.verbB1
Definition

used before a piece of news that sounds impossible, to show that it is nevertheless true

Example

Believe it or not, this tiny cafe once served a king.

fixed phrase: believe it or not

Believe it or not, Owen learned Japanese by watching baseball shows.

Common collocations
  • believe it or not
  • would you believe it

Grammar Patterns

believe it or not, ...

would you believe it, ...

Usage Note

Usually set off with commas and placed before the surprising fact. Distinguish from sense 4, which asks the listener to trust the speaker rather than preparing them for unexpected news.

4. used to urge the listener to trust your statement and take it seriously

4.verbB1
Definition

used to urge the listener to trust your statement and take it seriously

Example

Believe me, the stairs feel much steeper after midnight.

fixed phrase: believe me

Believe me, this map will save you an hour.

Common collocations
  • believe me

Grammar Patterns

believe me, ...

..., believe me

Usage Note

Usually appears at the start of a sentence as a short spoken comment. Distinguish from sense 1: believe me strengthens your statement, while sense 1 is about deciding whether something is true.

5. said in a mocking way to show that you find a claim obviously false

5.verbB2
Definition

said in a mocking way to show that you find a claim obviously false

Example

Ella rolled her eyes and said, "Tom fixed the leak? I believe that."

sarcastic: I believe that

Citlali laughed. "A free yacht from Leo? I believe that."

Common collocations
  • I believe that
  • sure, I believe that

Grammar Patterns

I believe that

sure, I believe that

Usage Note

Usually said with a sarcastic voice after repeating the other person's claim. Distinguish from sense 2, which is a direct statement of disbelief rather than a mocking reply.

6. to make yourself picture something as real for a game, a story, or in your mind

6.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to make yourself picture something as real for a game, a story, or in your mind

Example

On rainy afternoons, the children believed the sofa was a pirate ship.

believe + object + noun in play

At bath time, Mia believed she was a doctor helping sick dolls.

believe + clause in imaginative play

Common collocations
  • believe yourself a king
  • believe the room is a castle
  • let's believe
Synonyms
  • pretend

    the usual everyday verb for acting as if something were true

  • imagine

    focuses more on mental pictures than on play-acting

Grammar Patterns

believe + object + noun

believe + clause in play

let's believe + clause

Usage Note

Much less common than pretend or imagine. It often appears in games, stories, or stage settings where someone acts as if something were true.

7. to hold religious faith and accept God or a religion as true

7.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to hold religious faith and accept God or a religion as true

Example

Even after the accident, Grace continued to believe and pray daily.

intransitive: believe = have religious faith

Grandmother Rosa still believed and sang hymns after the family lost the farm.

Common collocations
  • still believe
  • believe and pray
  • learn to believe
Synonyms
  • have faith

    a close phrase that stresses inner trust rather than the verb itself

  • be religious

    broader and describes lifestyle as well as belief

Antonyms
  • doubt

    can describe loss or absence of religious certainty

Grammar Patterns

still believe

believe and pray

learn to believe

Usage Note

Usually used without an object, because the religious meaning is understood from the context. It is more common in religious or literary writing than in casual everyday speech.

Phrasal verbs

believe of

phrasal verb

To think that someone is capable of a particular action, often negative.

I wouldn't believe that of him; he's honest.

She could believe such rudeness of her brother.

believe in

phrasal verb

To have confidence that something or someone exists or is true.

Sara believes in ghosts because she saw one last year.

Do you believe in the power of positive thinking?

Idioms

believe it or not

idiom

Used to say that something is true even though it may surprise you.

Believe it or not, Maya has never seen snow.

He finished the race first, believe it or not.

believe (you) me

idiom

Used to emphasize that what you are saying is true and you are certain about it.

This is the best pizza in town, believe me.

You'll regret it, believe you me.

don’t you believe it!

idiom

Used to tell someone that something is definitely not true.

He says he's rich, but don't you believe it.

Don't you believe it! She's not really leaving.

give somebody to believe/understand (that)…

idiom

To make someone think that something is true, often without directly saying it.

The manager gave me to believe that I would get a raise.

We were given to understand that the meeting was canceled.

I don’t believe it!

idiom

Used to express surprise or annoyance about something.

I don't believe it! My car won't start again.

You won the lottery? I don't believe it!

if you believe that, you’ll believe anything

idiom

Used to say that someone is foolish to believe something that is obviously not true.

He said he saw a UFO. If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

She claims she can fly. If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

make believe (that…)

idiom

To pretend that something is true, especially in a game or imagination.

The children make believe they are pirates on a ship.

Let's make believe that we are astronauts.

not believe your ears/eyes

idiom

To be very surprised by something you hear or see.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the mess.

She couldn't believe her ears when she heard the news.

seeing is believing

idiom

Used to say that you will only believe something when you see it yourself.

He claims he can juggle, but seeing is believing.

I'll believe the house is haunted when I see it. Seeing is believing.

would you believe (it)?

idiom

Used to show surprise or annoyance about something that happened.

Would you believe it? He forgot his own birthday.

And, would you believe, they charged us extra for water.

you/you’d better believe it!

idiom

Used to tell someone that something is definitely true and they should accept it.

I'm the best player on the team, you'd better believe it.

This is the last time I'm helping you, you better believe it.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

For sense 1, believe is the broad verb for taking something as true. Think is looser and often just gives an opinion: I think the shop is closed. Believe is better when you accept a report, story, or person's words: I believe her. Trust moves the focus from the message to the speaker's character or reliability. Accept often suggests a more conscious decision after hearing facts or proof. Assume is weaker and riskier: you treat something as true without checking, and you may be wrong. So you can believe a witness, trust a friend, accept a doctor's explanation, and assume the bus is late. Compare: I believed the nurse because she checked the chart. We only assumed the cafe was open.

think ↗trust ↗accept ↗assume ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • firmly believe
  • strongly believe
  • honestly believe
  • truly believe

Phrases

  • believe that ...
  • believe somebody
  • be believed to ...
  • believe me

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

Believe comes from an Old English verb that meant trusting, holding dear, or having confidence in someone. That older idea is linked to a Germanic root connected with love and trust. Over time, English narrowed the word so it commonly means accepting something as true, while the older feeling of personal trust still survives in uses like 'believe you' and in religious contexts.