disbelieve

Name: disbelieve, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/dɪsbɪˈliːv/

//dɪsbɪˈliːv// verb

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“disbelieve” is an uncommon English word, ranked #52,272 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#52,272
frequency rank, English: 10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To not believe; to exercise disbelief.

Key facts for disbelieve
Property	Value
Headword	disbelieve
Language	English
Part of speech	Verb
IPA	/dɪsbɪˈliːv/
Letters	10
Frequency rank	#52,272
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “disbelieve” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). disbelieve lands here:

#52,272

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for disbelieve is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪsbɪˈliːv/. Corpus data places it at rank #52,272 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for disbelieve in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Coined circa 1640, from dis- + believe. Compare misbelieve. The correct English form is disbelieve, spelled D-I-S-B-E-L-I-E-V-E.

Definition

1
To not believe; to exercise disbelief.
2
To actively deny (a statement, opinion or perception).
3
To cease to believe.

Etymology

Coined circa 1640, from dis- + believe. Compare misbelieve.

Synonyms

misbelieve

Antonyms

believe

This word in other languages

descreer(Español)mécroire(Français)descrer(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "disbelieve"?

"disbelieve" is spelled D-I-S-B-E-L-I-E-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪsbɪˈliːv/.

What does "disbelieve" mean?

As a verb, "disbelieve" means: To not believe; to exercise disbelief.

How do you pronounce "disbelieve"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "disbelieve" is /dɪsbɪˈliːv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "disbelieve"?

Coined circa 1640, from dis- + believe. Compare misbelieve. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “disbelieve”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is D-I-S-B-E-L-I-E-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /dɪsbɪˈliːv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.