What does misbelieve mean?
Misbelieve is a rare English verb meaning to hold something as true when it is false. In older usage, it may also mean to disbelieve, distrust, or fail to accept what another person says. The distinction from distrust is a matter of emphasis: to misbelieve something is generally to be wrong in one's belief, whereas to distrust a person is to withhold confidence in that person's reliability. Modern speakers are more likely to say believe wrongly, mistakenly believe, or disbelieve, depending on the intended sense. The word is usually literary or archaic rather than neutral everyday vocabulary, but it remains useful when precision matters. It can describe errors produced by credulity, manipulation, or misinformation, as in a reader who accepts a convincing but false account. In its older distrusting sense, it can describe the refusal to accept a reassurance. Though uncommon, misbelieve is transparent in formation: the prefix mis- marks the wrongness or failure of belief, while believe supplies the central action. This makes it especially effective in discussions of deception, gullibility, and the limits of trust.
verbTo believe something falsely or mistakenly; to accept a claim as true when it is not. In older usage, it can also mean to disbelieve, distrust, or fail to trust a statement.
- To believe something to be false when it is true, or otherwise to hold an incorrect belief.
- To disbelieve, distrust, or fail to accept a statement or assurance.
"The convincing pamphlet led many readers to misbelieve that the supposed remedy was safe and effective."
"The convincing pamphlet led many readers to misbelieve that the supposed remedy was safe and effective."
"Long accustomed to official assurances, he misbelieved her reassurance and waited for proof."
Misbelieve puts the mistake inside the belief: you are not merely wrong about the facts, but wrong to believe them.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does misbelieve come from?
Misbelieve was formed in English by combining the prefix mis- with believe. The prefix historically marked error or badness, while believe had established Germanic roots and was already common in Middle English; the compound is recorded from the early modern period. The word belongs to a wider English family that includes belief, believable, disbelief, and unbelief.
Related word forms
How misbelieve is actually used
Rare and chiefly literary or archaic. In contemporary prose, mistakenly believe or believe wrongly is usually clearer for the first sense. The word may suggest credulity, deception, or a failure to be appropriately skeptical.
Easily confused with misbelieve
Disbelieve means to reject or refuse to accept a claim as true, whereas misbelieve can more specifically mean to hold a false belief and can also have the older meaning of failing to believe.