Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to disbelieve

to disbelieve

14 4.7
To not accept that something is true
  • verb
  • /ˌdɪsbɪˈliːv/
translation icon : no creer
  • He felt that after Project Blue Book was terminated, pilots were reluctant to report sightings up the chain of command for fear that they'd be disbelieved, ridiculed, or even grounded due to concerns about their state of mind.

So he has no reason to disbelieve it's man made.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • We can choose to think, to disbelieve what our gut is telling us.

    Blog text (22)

  • Many people still disbelieve the conspiracy theories despite the overwhelming evidence.

  • So he has no reason to disbelieve it's man made.

    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

  • You now want me to disbelieve Harry?!

    Sphere (1998)

  • Then why the hell are you so quick to disbelieve me?

    An American Werewolf in London (1981)

  • Based on a rumor, he has had no reason to disbelieve it up to now.

    Blog text (9)

  • And he points out here that we often disbelieve in facts and theories.

  • Jonathon assures me that he was not here that night, and I have no reason to disbelieve him.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies because you helped bring them about?

    The Hobbit (1977)

  • The victim is a vulnerable person who is often disbelieved or even blamed for the abuse if it is disclosed.

    Academic text (1996)

Synonyms

to deny
vsto disbelieve
∞ 2.0

To say that something is not true

does not accept it as true inwardly rather than declaring it false publicly
to refuse
vsto disbelieve
∞ 1.7

To say you do not believe something is true

does not accept it as true privately rather than explicitly turning it down
to reject
vsto disbelieve
839 1.9

Refuse to accept someone or something

does not accept it as true rather than withholding approval or support
to repudiate
vsto disbelieve
  • Formal
33 8.2

To refuse to accept or be linked to something

does not accept it as true personally rather than formally cutting ties
to discredit
vsto disbelieve
16 5.6

To say that something is not true or trustworthy

does not accept it as true personally rather than judging its trustworthiness
to don't believe a word of
vsto disbelieve
12 4.1

Not believe anything someone says

does not accept it as true generally rather than distrusting every word
to controvert
vsto disbelieve
  • Formal
1 8.3

To say that an idea or claim is not true

does not accept it as true without necessarily arguing against it

Antonyms

to believe
∞ 1.0

Accept that something is true or trust a person

to accept
∞ 1.3

To believe or agree that something is true

How Disbelieving

to reject
839 1.9
to deny
∞ 2.0
to disbelieve
14 4.7
to doubt
∞ 1.3
question
∞ 2.7

Surface Forms

disbelieve infinitive
disbelieved past
disbelieved past participle
disbelieving present participle
disbelieves third person singular

Morphology

disbelieve = believe (transparent) = dis + believe

The prefix 'dis-' straightforwardly reverses or negates 'believe', yielding the meaning 'not believe'.

Etymology

Disbelieve breaks into dis- and believe; dis- means 'not' or 'the opposite of', as in dislike. So, to disbelieve something is to 'not accept it as true'.