would have believed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would have believed" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to express a hypothetical situation in the past where someone might have had faith or trust in something if certain conditions had been met. Example: "If he had told me the truth, I would have believed him without question."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Who would have believed that?

The New York Times - Sports

Who would have believed this?

The New York Times - Sports

Well, who would have believed that?

Independent

Who would have believed me?

The Guardian - TV & Radio

No way I would have believed it".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"So I probably would have believed that.

The Guardian

Who would have believed me if I had said something?

The Guardian

"Had our Lord willed, everybody on earth would have believed.

The Economist

Who would have believed that possible after the February draft?

The Guardian

"I never would have believed it," Williams said.

The New York Times - Sports

"The truth is, nobody would have believed me".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would have believed" to express a hypothetical scenario in the past where someone would have accepted something as true if certain conditions were met. For example, "If he had shown me the evidence, I would have believed him."

Common error

Avoid using "would have believed" when referring to present or future situations. Instead, use "would believe" or "will believe" depending on the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have believed" functions as a past hypothetical conditional. It indicates a belief that would have occurred under different past circumstances. Ludwig confirms this use through numerous examples where the phrase expresses a conditional outcome in the past.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "would have believed" is a grammatically correct and commonly used construction expressing a past hypothetical conditional. As Ludwig confirms, it's most often found in news and media contexts, serving to express regret, doubt, or speculation. While versatile, it's crucial to use it correctly to avoid tense errors, remembering it describes a past scenario. Alternative phrases like "would have trusted" or "would have accepted" can be used for subtle variations in meaning. Ludwig's analysis indicates the phrase is well-established and appropriate across a range of writing styles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have trusted

Emphasizes reliance and confidence.

would have had faith in

Emphasizes trust and devotion.

would have accepted

Focuses on agreement or validation.

would have been convinced by

Focuses on persuasion.

would have taken seriously

Highlights the importance given to something.

would have considered credible

Stresses the believability of something.

would have sworn by

Suggests complete confidence and reliance.

would have regarded as true

Emphasizes a judgment of truth.

would have bought into

Suggests accepting an idea or concept.

would have fallen for

Implies deception or naiveté.

FAQs

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

Use "would have believed" to describe a past hypothetical situation. For example, "If she had told me the truth, I "would have believed" her."

What's a good alternative to "would have believed"?

Alternatives include "would have trusted", "would have accepted", or "would have taken seriously" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "would of believed" instead of "would have believed"?

No, "would of believed" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""would have believed"", which uses the auxiliary verb "have".

What is the difference between "would believe" and "would have believed"?

"Would believe" generally refers to a present or future hypothetical, while ""would have believed"" refers to a past hypothetical. For example, "I would believe him if he told me now" vs. "I "would have believed" him if he had told me yesterday".