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How Agnostic Differs From Atheist
Atheist and agnostic appear in the same contexts but are distinct in meaning. Atheist refers to someone who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods. Agnostic has two relevant meanings: it can refer to someone who holds the view that any ultimate reality, such as God, is unknown and probably unknowable, or it can refer to someone who is not committed to believing in either the existence or nonexistence of God or a god.
Agnostic first appeared in print in 1869 (it was possibly coined by the English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley), and was formed from the Greek agnōstos, meaning "unknown, unknowable." Atheist came to English from the French athéisme. Although both words share the prefix a-, meaning "without," the main body of each word is quite different. Agnostic ultimately comes from the Greek root gignōskein, meaning "know" (also the source of such words as know and prognosis). Atheist shares the root theo, meaning "god," with such words as theology and theism.
Examples of atheist in a Sentence
Mariam Amini, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026
Today, Lowery is an atheist, having left the Catholic Church a long time ago, but his religious upbringing still has a hold on him.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2026
John Adams, a Unitarian, considered Benjamin Franklin, whatever his public statements about religion, to have been an atheist, and Adams knew Franklin well.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
The establishment clause is meant to protect everyone, including, by the way, nonbelievers and atheists.
—John E. Jones Iii, The Conversation, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atheist
Cite this Entry
“Atheist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheist. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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