belief

Noun

belief (countable and uncountable, plural beliefs)

1. Mental acceptance of a claim as true.
   • It's my belief that the thief is somebody known to us.
   • The belief that there is no conflict between [livestock] farming and arable production also seems to be unfounded: by preventing the growth of trees and other deep vegetation in the hills and by compacting the soil, grazing animals cause a cycle of flash floods and drought, sporadically drowning...2013 December 6, George Monbiot, “Why I'm eating my words on veganism – again”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 26, page 48
2. Faith or trust in the reality of something; often based upon one's own reasoning, trust in a claim, desire of actuality, and/or evidence considered.
   • My belief is that there is a bear in the woods. Bill said he saw one.
   • Based on this data, it is our belief that X does not occur.
3. (countable) Something believed.
   • The ancient people have a belief in many deities.
4. (uncountable) The quality or state of believing.
   • My belief that it will rain tomorrow is strong.
5. (uncountable) Religious faith.
   • She often said it was her belief that carried her through the hard times.
6. (in plural) One's religious or moral convictions.
   • I can't do that. It's against my beliefs.
   • The Trump administration will allow federal workers to promote their religious beliefs to colleagues, display religious items at work and pray together or individually, according to a memorandum issued Monday by the Office of Personnel Management. […] Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964...2025 July 28, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, “Trump administration allows federal workers to promote religious beliefs”, in CNN