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believe
/bɪˈliːv/
to accept something as true or real
I believe in the power of kindness.
This expresses a strong conviction about the value of kindness.
general
to accept something as true or real, often without absolute proof
She believes in ghosts.
She accepts the existence of ghosts, even if there's no scientific evidence.
Do you believe in climate change?
This asks whether someone accepts the reality of climate change as a phenomenon.
Often used with abstract concepts like love, justice, or supernatural phenomena.
religious or personal
to have faith or trust in someone or something
He believes in God.
He has faith in the existence and teachings of a higher power.
I believe in you.
This expresses confidence in someone's abilities or character.
Common in religious or motivational contexts.
Collocations
believe into have faith or trust inbelieve thatto accept as truehard to believedifficult to accept as true
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Collocations
'Believe in' is used for abstract concepts (e.g., 'believe in love'), while 'believe that' is used for specific statements (e.g., 'believe that he is honest').
Gold Rule
Subject-Verb Agreement
'Believe' is a regular verb: 'I believe,' 'he believes,' 'they believe.'
Word Origin
From Middle English 'bileven,' from Old English 'belēfan,' meaning 'to have faith in,' from 'be-' (completely) + 'lēfan' (to believe, remain). Related to Old High German 'gilouben' and Old Norse 'lifa.'
Usage Notes
Often used with 'in' for abstract concepts and 'that' for specific statements. Can be followed by a clause or a noun phrase.
Word Breakdown
be-
completely
prefix-lief
to remain, trust
rootEnglish Dictionary