How to pronounce belief
Say it like bih-LEEF. Belief has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LEEF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce belief. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bih
- LEEF
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Belief pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- bihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- LEEFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of belief
American and British speakers say belief in essentially the same way: /bɪˈlif/ in the US and /bɪˈliːf/ in the UK.
British respelling: bih-LEEF.
What does belief mean?
- any cognitive content held as true
- a vague idea in which some confidence is placed“his impression of her was favorable”“what are your feelings about the crisis?”
Where does belief come from?
The replacement of final /v/ with /f/ is due to the analogy of noun-verb pairs with /f/ in the noun but /v/ in the verb, creating a pair belief : believe on the model of e.g.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with belief
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of belief.
Questions about saying belief
How do you pronounce belief?
Say bih-LEEF. The American pronunciation is /bɪˈlif/. In British English it is /bɪˈliːf/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in belief?
Belief has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LEEF). Broken into parts: bih · LEEF.
Do Americans and Brits say belief the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪˈlif/ and the British form is /bɪˈliːf/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.