disbelieve

/ˌˈdɪsbəˌˈliv/

Other forms: disbelieved; disbelieving; disbelieves

When you disbelieve someone, you're unable to trust what they're saying. A detective is likely to disbelieve a suspect who's sweating nervously and not making eye contact.

Believing something or someone means you've got confidence or faith. Add the prefix dis- to believe, and it's the exact opposite. If your cousin is famous for his tall tales, you'll probably disbelieve his story about meeting the Queen in England last summer. And if a jury disbelieves someone's testimony, they're likely to discount it when they start deliberating.

Definitions of disbelieve

1. verb

   reject as false; refuse to accept
   synonyms: discredit

   antonyms:

   believe

   accept as true; take to be true

   types:

   doubt

   consider unlikely or have doubts about

   distrust, mistrust, suspect

   regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence in

   doubt

   lack confidence in or have doubts about

   type of:

   reject

   refuse to accept or acknowledge
2. verb

   regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence in
   synonyms: distrust, mistrust, suspect

   types:

   doubt

   lack confidence in or have doubts about

   type of:

   discredit

   reject as false; refuse to accept