as in disbelief
refusal to accept something as true
my nonbelief in UFO's should not be construed as an unshakable belief in their nonexistence—I'm just waiting for proof
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Recent Examples of nonbelief
But Einstein also closed his letter with a sentiment that is often overlooked in the complicated and, in fact, wildly diverse landscape of American nonbelief, including atheism and its less strident cousin, agnosticism.
—
Harry Bruinius, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar. 2019
In the mid-2000s, atheist figures such as the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, a writer who has a doctorate in neuroscience, brought nonbelief into the public sphere—and onto the New York Times bestseller list.
—Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2018
Yet, religious nonbelief is often heavily stigmatized, potentially leading many atheists to refrain from outing themselves even in anonymous polls.
—Scott Canon, kansascity, 1 May 2017
Harry Bruinius, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Mar. 2019
In the mid-2000s, atheist figures such as the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, a writer who has a doctorate in neuroscience, brought nonbelief into the public sphere—and onto the New York Times bestseller list.
—Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2018
Yet, religious nonbelief is often heavily stigmatized, potentially leading many atheists to refrain from outing themselves even in anonymous polls.
—Scott Canon, kansascity, 1 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonbelief
Noun
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Watch the video above to see Tashia’s joy and disbelief when Chris steps inside!—
Ronnie Li,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Schneider watches the games from the owner’s suite, and when things go wrong, Allen turns to him with wide-eyed disbelief that speaks the universal language of a passionate fan.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Bipartisan skepticism of corporate power comes and goes in America, but the latest wave has roots in the parallel streams flowing from the Great Financial Crisis, Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
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Chastain ended the lengthy note with a hint of skepticism about whether the series would ever air at all.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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My own passage into and back out of unbelief—one marked by a close reading of works that earlier illiberal societies had attempted to suppress on religious grounds—has strengthened my liberal commitments.—
Christopher Beha,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Nonbelief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonbelief. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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