believing something

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "believing something" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing personal beliefs or opinions. Example: "She is believing something that is hard to prove." Alternative expressions include "holding a belief" and "having faith."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Is there anything wrong with believing something without evidence?

Stanford University

"When your beliefs are based on faith, you're believing something you can't see.

The New York Times

To create an illusion, you must trick someone into believing something untrue.

The Guardian

Seeing is believing (something, sometimes), but seeing isn't knowing, Mr. Assayas likes to remind us.

The New York Times

This could be very helpful, as research shows that believing something will get easier with practice can improve willpower.

Stanford University

The mind-body connection is very strong, and sometimes just believing something will help makes it help.

Harvard University

In terms of mental faculty: Thinking, as opposed to feeling or desiring something; Believing something, as opposed to knowing it.

University of California, Berkeley

Ganassi's Justin Wilson was leading before stopping into the garage, believing something was wrong with his car.

The New York Times

Each character suffers because of misjudgments, believing something true based solely on the evidence of eyes or ears.

The New York Times - Arts

Many pages are spent explaining the folly of believing something just because an authority figure said it was true.

The New York Times

Unfortunately, they're also a great way to mislead web users into believing something that may not actually be true using un-attributed exaggerations.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "believing something", ensure that the context clarifies whether the belief is based on evidence, faith, or personal conviction to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid presenting a belief as an irrefutable truth. Acknowledge that "believing something" is a subjective experience, and it's important to distinguish it from objective, verifiable facts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "believing something" functions as a gerund phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or preposition. It describes the act of holding a particular belief or conviction, whether justified or not. Examples provided by Ludwig show its versatility in various sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Academia

25%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "believing something" is a common and versatile gerund phrase used to express holding a particular belief or conviction. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage across diverse contexts, including News & Media, Academia, and Science. While the phrase itself is neutral in tone, it's crucial to consider the context in which it's used to avoid equating personal beliefs with objective facts. Alternatives like "holding something true" or "being convinced of something" can offer nuanced ways to convey similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

being convinced of something

Focuses on the state of being persuaded or certain about a belief.

holding something true

Emphasizes the subjective perception of truth associated with the belief.

thinking something

Focuses more on the cognitive process of considering an idea, rather than necessarily holding it as a belief.

regarding something as true

A more formal way of expressing the same idea as "believing something", suitable for academic or professional contexts.

assuming something

Implies accepting something as true without proof, which is a component of believing, but carries a different nuance.

accepting something

Suggests a more passive reception of an idea, compared to the active conviction implied by "believing".

having faith in something

Specifically relates to belief without requiring empirical evidence.

presuming something

Similar to assuming, but often carries a stronger connotation of taking something for granted.

trusting something

Implies a reliance on the truth or validity of something, similar to belief but with an added element of confidence.

maintaining something

Highlights the act of consistently holding a belief over time.

FAQs

How can I use "believing something" in a sentence?

You can use "believing something" to express a personal conviction or acceptance of an idea, as in: "She is adamant about "believing something" that is not empirically proven".

What's a more formal alternative to "believing something"?

For a more formal tone, consider using "regarding something as true" or "being convinced of something". These alternatives convey a similar meaning with a more elevated register.

Is there a difference between "believing something" and "knowing something"?

Yes, "believing something" implies acceptance of an idea, whereas "knowing something" suggests having verifiable evidence or proof. You can carefully assess evidence for a prospective belief and still end up "believing something" false.

What can I say instead of "believing something" to emphasize faith?

If you want to emphasize faith or trust, you can use "having faith in something" or "trusting something". These phrases highlight the element of reliance without requiring proof.