belief
Faith without proof
Belief is the noun counterpart of the verb believe.
A concept closely related to belief is faith, both in religious and secular contexts, because belief is a feeling about the truth of something that cannot be proven with available evidence.
Despite their unprovability, beliefs have a very strong influence on the way people think and act; it is often followed by verbs such as influence, drive, motivate, and lead.
By far the most frequent adjective that modifies belief is religious.
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- creedStatement of belief
- tenetHeld principle or doctrine
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- canonAccepted authoritative works
ideology · principle · teaching · catechism · theology · heresy · sectarian · fundamentalism
System of spiritual belief
- spiritualityConnection to the sacred
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
- prayerAddress to deity
piety · sacred · divine · holiness · sanctity · reverence · godliness · altar
Acceptance as true
- relianceState of needing support
- faithTrust without proof
- confidenceSelf-assurance or trust
- assuranceFirm promise or certainty
dependence · hope · optimism · expectation · acceptance · good faith · leap of faith
What's seen from somewhere
- sentimentFelt attitude or view
- attitudeSettled way of thinking
- outlookAttitude toward the future
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
impression · persuasion · stance · position · mindset · worldview · judgment · assumption
Total absence of doubt
- confidenceSelf-assurance or trust
- assuranceFirm promise or certainty
- surenessAbsence of uncertainty
- firmnessResistance to deformation
resolve · commitment · passion · fervor · zeal · dedication · steadfastness · unwavering
Traditional explanatory tale
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- pantheonAll gods of a religion
- deitiesWorshipped supernatural beings
- godsSupernatural beings worshipped
lore · cosmology · creation story · afterlife · ancestor worship · animism · spirits · supernatural
Inherited cultural narratives
- omenProphetic indicator
- luckChance affecting outcomes
- charmAttractive personal quality
- talismanMagical protective charm
jinx · curse · taboo · ritual · tradition · old wives tale · superstitious · amulet
Theory of knowledge
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
- empiricismKnowledge through observation
idealism · skepticism · relativism · objectivism · subjectivism · truth · knowledge
dogma
Unchallengeable official beliefs
canon · ideology · principle · teaching · catechism · theology · heresy · sectarian · fundamentalism · credo
religion
System of spiritual belief
- spiritualityConnection to the sacred
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
prayer · piety · sacred · divine · holiness · sanctity · reverence · godliness · altar · clergy
credence
Acceptance as true
- relianceState of needing support
- faithTrust without proof
- confidenceSelf-assurance or trust
assurance · dependence · hope · optimism · expectation · acceptance · good faith · leap of faith
view
What's seen from somewhere
perspective · impression · persuasion · stance · position · mindset · worldview · judgment · assumption · perception
certainty
Total absence of doubt
- confidenceSelf-assurance or trust
- assuranceFirm promise or certainty
- surenessAbsence of uncertainty
firmness · resolve · commitment · passion · fervor · zeal · dedication · steadfastness · unwavering · unshakeable
myth
Traditional explanatory tale
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- pantheonAll gods of a religion
- deitiesWorshipped supernatural beings
gods · lore · cosmology · creation story · afterlife · ancestor worship · animism · spirits · supernatural
folklore
Inherited cultural narratives
talisman · jinx · curse · taboo · ritual · tradition · old wives tale · superstitious · amulet · evil eye
epistemology
Theory of knowledge
- metaphysicsPhilosophy of existence's nature
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
- rationalismReason as knowledge source
empiricism · idealism · skepticism · relativism · objectivism · subjectivism · truth · knowledge
- supportsupport, emotional support, moral support, support group, stand by
- abstract conceptsparadox, emotions, justice, truth, beauty
- belieffaith, creed, dogma, theism, atheism
- freedomfreedom of choice, freedom of will, free will, expression, speech
- mindmind, thought, cognition, consciousness, thinking
- beliefscreed, creeds, faith, faiths, religion
beliefdisbelief
Rejection of truth claims
unbelief · nonbelief · rejection · denial · incredulity
beliefdoubt
Lack of firm belief
skepticism · uncertainty · disbelief · incredulity · suspicion
- believe meAssertion of honesty
- believe inAccept as true
- believe it or notPreface to something improbable
- make believeImaginative fantasy play
- hard to believeDifficult to accept as true
- beyond beliefImpossible to credit
believe, beliefs, believing, unbelievable, believer, disbelief, believed, believable, believers