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AbbreviationsCapitalizationCompound Words: Everything You Need to KnowContractionsSpellingWhat is the difference between "belive" and "believe"?

The words belive and believe are often confused because they have a similar spelling. But what is the difference?
Belive is obsolete and is hardly ever used—I've never used it before in 40 years of English writing and speaking. You almost certainly want to use believe. It appears about 4,222 times more frequently than belive.
A good way to remember the difference is that believe ends in -eve. Some people believe that Eve was the first woman.
Believe means to hold an opinion or accept something as true. Some synonyms are: credit, regard, trust, think, suppose.
- Do you believe in God?
- I believe in liberty and justice for all.
Belive means to remain, stay, or abide. It’s not used very often more, except in certain dialects. In parts of Scotland, it is used as an adverb that means soon.
- He’ll arrive at the pub belive.
Should it be I do not believe or I do not belive?
The correct phrase is I do not believe.
Is the correct phrase reason to believe that or reason to belive that?
The correct phrase is reason to believe that.
Which is correct I believe in or I belive in?
The correct phrase is I believe in.
Is it believe me or belive me?
The correct phrase is believe me.
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The definitions in this article were adapted from Wiktionary and Your Dictionary.
Examples of belive in a sentence
I don’t belive in it.- Thud! by Terry Pratchett
Examples of believe in a sentence
My upbringing had led me to believe that this meant he didn’t love me enough.- Some Girls: My Life in a Harem by Jillian Lauren
Maybe tonight was the night he'd learn to believe in magic.- Beyond belief by Roy Johansen
It was hard to believe that it had happened.- Cropper's cabin by Jim Thompson
Believe me.”- Grand Junction by Maurice G. Dantec
I believe you received a letter that said I would be visiting you?”- The Hound of Rowan by Henry H. Neff
Test yourself
Choose the missing word in each question.