athiesm

Noun

atheism (usually uncountable, plural atheisms)

1. (usually, strictly) Belief that no deities exist (sometimes including rejection of other religious beliefs).
   • Near-synonyms: antireligiousness, irreligion, irreligiousness

   Synonyms:

   ;, Epicureanism, antireligiousness, irreligion, irreligiousness

   Antonyms:

   theism, religion

2. (broadly, usually) A lack of belief in deities, or a belief that there is insufficient evidence to believe in a god.
   • Near-synonyms: irreligion, irreligiousness, nonreligion, nonreligiousness

   Synonyms:

   ;, Epicureanism, irreligion, irreligiousness, nonreligion, nonreligiousness

   Antonyms:

   theism, religion

3. (usually, very loosely) Absence of belief that any deities exist (including absence of the concept of deities).
   • What can parents do, and mothers more especially, […] with regard to the atheism that is natural to all the children of men?1829, John Wesley, Sermons, on Several Occasions, 10th edition, volume 2, page 373

   Synonyms:

   ;, Epicureanism

   Antonyms:

   theism, religion

4. (usually) Neglect of one's obligations to God; behavior incongruent with belief in God (regardless of belief in the strict sense).

   Synonyms:

   godlessness

5. (historical, rare, usually) Absence of belief in a particular deity, pantheon, or religious doctrine (notwithstanding belief in other deities).
   • Domitilla, Flavia, niece of the emperor Domitian (81-96). She and her husband, Flavius Clemens (consul in 95 and cousin of Domitian), were probably Christians; charged with atheism and adoption of Jewish ways, they were punished (95) with death (Clemens) and exile (Domitilla).1995, Richard P. McBrien, editor, The HarperCollins Encyclopedia of Catholicism, HarperCollins, →ISBN, keyword Domitilla, Flavia, page 431
6. (proscribed, sometimes, usually) A rejection of all religions, even non-theistic ones.
   • Some worldviews are based in a belief in God; others are not. Buddhism, Taoism, atheism, Marxism, and existentialism are examples of worldviews that are nontheistic.2009 June 2, Ed Gungor, What Bothers Me Most about Christianity: Honest Reflections from an Open-Minded Christ Follower, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 13