as in skepticism
refusal to accept something as true their story explaining their absence was met with frank disbelief

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disbelief Even two of Hiller’s fellow nominees, Saturday Night Live’s Bowen Yang and the Shrinking actor Michael Urie, held their faces in their hands in what looked like joyous disbelief. Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025 In Indianapolis, the Broncos’ elation dissolved into disbelief after what appeared to be a last-second win over the Colts — thanks to Indy kicker Spencer Shrader pushing a 60-yard field goal wide right as time expired — instead became a cruel lesson in the intricacies of the NFL rulebook. Zak Keefer, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 As investigators began to swarm the crime scene, searching for clues, Talbray says he was still stuck in disbelief. Georgina Dinardo, NBC news, 14 Sep. 2025 Shock, anger, sadness, disbelief were words used by multiple senior sources inside the West Wing, ABC News' Katherine Faulders said. ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disbelief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disbelief
Noun
  • In the province of Alberta, Calgary’s council voted in 2011 to stop fluoridation in part because of community skepticism and because expensive repairs to the equipment were needed, according to Councillor Gian-Carlo Carrà.
    Anna Clark, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Others echoed Kennedy's skepticism of federal health agencies.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The name leaves little doubt as to what viewers will encounter.
    Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • In case there was any doubt, Jim Cramer’s recent conversation with CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz ought to be persuasive.
    Paulina Likos, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The response to Lutkenhaus’ performance has been one of awe and incredulity.
    George Ramsay, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Afterwards, Amorim wore a look of incredulity when Heaton, 39, was proposed as a viable alternative, given Bayindir conceded a similar goal at Tottenham in last season’s Carabao Cup.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Specifically, the ability of the attackers to remain undetected between February—when the contractor's laptop was infected—and May—when Ascension first detected the breach—invites suspicions that the company didn’t follow basic security practices in its network.
    Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Most Portland indie bike shops seem to still regard e-bikes with some suspicion; traditional pedal-only bikes still sell quite well here.
    William Roberson, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But the indirect benefits seem to reflect a posture against green energy, related to unbelief in climate change, and these lead to support for inefficient energy alternatives like nuclear and geothermal and gas-fired turbines.
    Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • The historical abnormality of modern-day unbelief was a theme of Pope Benedict XVI’s in the years before, during, and after his pontificate.
    Katherine Howell, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Disbelief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disbelief. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

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