Disbelief Meaning
/dɪsbɪˈliːf/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn unpreparedness, unwillingness, or an inability to believe that something is the case.
nounAstonishment.
Sentence Examples
I had an expression of disbelief on my face.
Tom and Mary stared at each other in disbelief.
He stared in absolute disbelief at the winning lottery numbers.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
She stared in ____ when she saw her lost cat alive after five years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I had an expression of ____ on my face.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Old French des-bor. ▲ Latin dis-bor. Middle English dis- English dis- Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *laubō Proto-West Germanic *laubu Old English lēafa Middle English bileve English belief English disbelief From dis- + belief.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"There is an agony of suffering in that lingering doubt which haunts the human soul in the beginnings of disbelief."
— 1885, H. J. Hardwicke, “The God Idea”, in The Agnostic: A Monthly Journal of Liberal Thought, volume 1, page 239:
"No adolescent can achieve disbelief in the stork without an eruption of young oaths and cynicisms."
— 1927, Gilbert W. Gabriel, “Male, Female and American Drama”, in Vanity Fair, volume 27, number 4, page 73:
"His later left-wing films prevented any pure and strong emotional attachment between the two sexes from gaining narrative momentum, which might reflect his gradual disbelief in romantic love."
— 2002, Laikwan Pang, Building a New China in Cinema: The Chinese Left-wing Cinema Movement, 1932-1937, →ISBN, page 99:
"Just like the disbelief in Santa Claus happens gradually, I wondered if it was similar for people leaving their faith."
— 2012, Gloria Neufeld Redekop, Bad Girls and Boys Go to Hell (or not): Engaging Fundamentalist Evangelicalism, →ISBN, page 246:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She stared in ____ when she saw her lost cat alive after five years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I had an expression of ____ on my face.