he is believing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he is believing" is not correct in standard written English.
It is generally not used because "believe" is a stative verb, which typically does not take the continuous form. Example: "He is believing that he will win the lottery."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"He doesn't put his head down, he is believing in himself and until you can believe that you're a winner there is no way you're going to be a winner.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

He is believed to still be living among IS.

Vice

He is believed to be in Afghanistan.

The New York Times

The polls suggest that he is believed.

The Economist

He is believed to have died immediately.

Independent

He is believed to be well.

The New York Times

He is believed to be unarmed.

The New York Times

He is believed to have killed himself.

The New York Times

He is believed to have survived.

The New York Times

He is believed to be the Mets' longest-tenured employee.

The New York Times - Sports

"He is believed to be extremely dangerous," the spokesman said.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

If you want to emphasize the ongoing or developing nature of a belief, consider rephrasing to highlight the process of coming to believe something, rather than the state of believing itself.

Common error

Using "he is believing" suggests that the act of believing is temporary or ongoing, which is not how the verb "believe" is typically used. Instead, use "he believes" to express a general or lasting belief.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he is believing" functions as a verb phrase, attempting to express a state of belief in the present continuous tense. However, as Ludwig AI points out, "believe" is a stative verb and doesn't usually take this form. While one Ludwig example shows usage, it is non-standard.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he is believing" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that "believe" is a stative verb, not typically used in the continuous form. While there are a few instances of its usage, as shown in the Ludwig examples, it's best to use alternatives like "he believes" or "he is convinced" for clarity and correctness. The use of "he is believing" is rare and might confuse the reader, therefore is better to stick with more conventional grammatical structures.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he believes

Uses the simple present tense, which is grammatically correct for expressing a current belief or state of mind.

he is convinced

Indicates a strong sense of certainty or belief, using a passive construction.

he thinks

A simple and direct way to express a belief or opinion.

he feels

Suggests a belief based on intuition or emotion rather than logic.

he assumes

Implies a belief taken for granted without proof.

he supposes

Indicates a tentative belief or educated guess.

he maintains

Suggests a firm and persistent belief, often in the face of opposition.

he upholds

Indicates a firm belief, or to defend against challenge or criticism.

he trusts

Expresses faith or confidence in someone or something.

he deems

Conveys a formal or considered judgment or belief.

FAQs

Is "he is believing" grammatically correct?

No, "he is believing" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. The verb "believe" is a stative verb, which typically doesn't take the continuous form. Use "he believes" instead.

What can I say instead of "he is believing"?

You can use alternatives like "he believes", "he is convinced", or "he thinks" depending on the intended meaning.

When is it appropriate to use the continuous tense with verbs related to belief?

While "believe" itself rarely takes the continuous form, you can use continuous tenses with verbs describing the process of forming a belief, such as "he is considering", "he is wondering", or "he is starting to believe".

What is the difference between "he believes" and "he is believing" (incorrectly)?

The correct phrase, "he believes", expresses a general or lasting belief. The incorrect phrase, "he is believing", would imply that the act of believing is temporary or ongoing, which is not how the verb "believe" is typically used.