could have believed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "could have believed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a hypothetical situation in the past where someone had the capacity or possibility to believe something. Example: "Given the evidence presented, she could have believed that the project would succeed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"In 2001, no one could have believed that that would happen.

The New York Times

No one could have believed more seriously than Rahel in the cultivation of the spirit.

The New Yorker

I don't think he could have believed it at the time.

The New Yorker

We wanted to do something special but no-one could have believed we would do this.

The Guardian - Sport

Only the people still trapped in denial could have believed otherwise.

The New York Times

Just think, here — here in Knoxville … I never never could have believed it … How I hate them".

The New York Times

You could have believed that this work was from, say, 1959 and had been introduced by Leonard Bernstein.

The New York Times

I don't go so far as to think Trump could have believed these imaginary friends were real.

The Washington Post

"Who could have believed we could have maintained as we did?" Rutgers Coach C. Vivian Stringer said.

The New York Times - Sports

Knowing well that the briefers worked for me, neither could have believed that Pentagon policy officials were speaking for the intelligence community.

The Washington Post

"It is simply astounding that any member of the executive branch could have believed that our Constitution justified this egregious violation of plaintiffs' rights," Judge Holloway wrote.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the context clearly indicates the timeframe and the basis for the potential belief.

Common error

Avoid using "could have believed" when referring to a confirmed or factual belief. Use it to express a possibility, not a certainty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "could have believed" functions as a modal verb phrase expressing a hypothetical or potential belief in the past. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Science

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "could have believed" is a grammatically sound and frequently used modal verb phrase to express a past hypothetical belief. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is appropriate for expressing situations where someone had the capacity or reason to believe something in the past. It is commonly found in news articles, academic writing, and general discourse. While versatile, writers should ensure the context aligns with its speculative nature, avoiding its use for confirmed facts. Alternatives such as "might have thought" or "may have assumed" can offer subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might have thought

Suggests a possibility or consideration that someone had.

may have assumed

Implies a presumption made in the past, potentially without complete evidence.

would have imagined

Highlights the element of imagination or prediction regarding a past event.

could have imagined

Similar to would have imagined, but emphasizes capability of imagining.

might have considered

Emphasizes the process of deliberation or evaluation in the past.

may have speculated

Suggests a level of guesswork or conjecture regarding a past situation.

would have expected

Highlights an anticipation or prediction that did not necessarily occur.

might have conceived

Indicates the formation of an idea or belief in the past.

may have gathered

Suggests the accumulation of information leading to a belief.

would have supposed

Implies a weaker level of belief or assumption.

FAQs

How can I use "could have believed" in a sentence?

Use "could have believed" to express a past possibility or hypothetical scenario. For example: "Given the circumstances, she "could have believed" his story."

What are some alternatives to "could have believed"?

Alternatives include "might have thought", "may have assumed", or "would have imagined", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "could have believed" and "believed"?

"Could have believed" indicates a possibility or a hypothetical scenario in the past, while "believed" indicates a definite past belief.

Is "could of believed" grammatically correct?

No, "could of believed" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""could have believed"".