believe

/bɪˈliːv/ (bre, ipa) · /bɪˈliːv/ (ame, ipa) · /bə-ˈlēv/ (ame, mw)

believe — verb

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

1.動詞及物 / 不及物A2
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • doubt

    shows uncertainty about whether something is true

  • question

    suggests active doubt or challenge

文法句型

believe + that-clause

believe + object

believe + object + to-infinitive

believe + object + adjective

用法筆記

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'.

常見錯誤

❌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.動詞及物 / 不及物A2
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • believe

    accepts the statement as true

  • accept

    often suggests agreeing after hearing facts

文法句型

not believe + noun

not believe + that-clause

no longer believe + noun

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.動詞B1
釋義

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

例句

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.

文法句型

believe it or not, ...

would you believe it, ...

用法筆記

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.動詞B1
釋義

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

例句

Believe me, the stairs feel much steeper after midnight.

fixed phrase: believe me

Believe me, this map will save you an hour.

文法句型

believe me, ...

..., believe me

用法筆記

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.動詞B2
釋義

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

例句

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."

文法句型

I believe that

sure, I believe that

用法筆記

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.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

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

例句

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

同義詞
  • pretend

    the usual everyday verb for acting as if something were true

  • imagine

    focuses more on mental pictures than on play-acting

文法句型

believe + object + noun

believe + clause in play

let's believe + clause

用法筆記

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.動詞不及物B1
釋義

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

例句

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.

同義詞
  • have faith

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

  • be religious

    broader and describes lifestyle as well as belief

反義詞
  • doubt

    can describe loss or absence of religious certainty

文法句型

still believe

believe and pray

learn to believe

用法筆記

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.