agnostic | aɡˈnästik |
noun
a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known
of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena;
a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.
adjective
relating to agnostics or agnosticism.
• (in a nonreligious context) having a doubtful or noncommittal attitude toward something:
until now I've been fairly agnostic about electoral reform.
noun
as far as I know, Stevens was an atheist, or at least an agnostic:
skeptic, doubter, doubting Thomas, cynic;
unbeliever, nonbeliever, rationalist; rare nullifidian.
ANTONYMS believer, theist.
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atheism | ˈāTHēˌizəm |
noun
disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.
atheism was not freely discussed in his community:
nonbelief, disbelief, unbelief, irreligion, skepticism, doubt, agnosticism; nihilism.
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atheist | ˈāTHēəst |
noun
a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods:
he is a committed atheist.
why is it often assumed that a man of science is probably an atheist?
nonbeliever, disbeliever, unbeliever, skeptic, doubter, doubting Thomas, agnostic; nihilist.
ANTONYMS believer.
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belief | bəˈlēf |
noun
1 an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists:
his belief in the value of hard work | a belief that solitude nourishes creativity.
• something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction:
we're prepared to fight for our beliefs |
contrary to popular belief, Aramaic is a living language.
• a religious conviction: Christian beliefs |
I'm afraid to say belief has gone | local beliefs and customs.
2 (belief in) trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something:
a belief in democratic politics | I've still got belief in myself.
1 it's my belief that age is irrelevant: opinion, view, conviction, judgment,
thinking, way of thinking, idea, impression, theory, conclusion, notion.
2 belief in the value of hard work: faith, trust, reliance, confidence, credence.
ANTONYMS disbelief, doubt.
3 traditional beliefs: ideology, principle, ethic, tenet, canon;
doctrine, teaching, dogma, article of faith, creed, credo.
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cynicism | ˈsinəˌsizəm |
noun
1 an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest;
skepticism: public cynicism about politics.
• an inclination to question whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile; pessimism: cynicism about the future.
2 (Cynicism) a school of ancient Greek philosophers, the Cynics.
theirs was a childhood of absent parents and broken promises, so cynicism was hardly a surprise:
skepticism, doubt, distrust, mistrust, suspicion, disbelief; pessimism,
negativity, world-weariness, disenchantment.
ANTONYMS idealism.
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doubt | dout |
noun
a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction:
some doubt has been cast upon the authenticity of this account |
they had doubts that they would ever win.
verb
1 [with object] feel uncertain about: I doubt my ability to do the job.
• question the truth or fact of (something): who can doubt the value of these services? |
[with clause] : I doubt if anyone slept that night.
• disbelieve (a person or their word): I have no reason to doubt him.
• [no object] feel uncertain, especially about one's religious beliefs.
2 [with clause] archaic fear; be afraid: I doubt not your contradictions.
noun
1 there was some doubt as to the caller's identity:
uncertainty, unsureness, indecision, hesitation, dubiousness, suspicion, confusion;
queries, questions; formal dubiety.
ANTONYMS certainty.
2 a weak leader racked by doubt:
indecision, hesitation, uncertainty, insecurity, unease, uneasiness, apprehension;
hesitancy, vacillation, irresolution.
ANTONYMS confidence, conviction.
3 there is doubt about their motives:
skepticism, distrust, mistrust, doubtfulness, suspicion, cynicism,
uneasiness, apprehension, wariness, chariness, leeriness;
reservations, misgivings, suspicions; formal dubiety.
ANTONYMS trust.
verb
1 they doubted my story:
disbelieve, distrust, mistrust, suspect, have doubts about, be suspicious of,
have misgivings about, have qualms about, feel uneasy about,
feel apprehensive about, query, question, challenge.
ANTONYMS trust.
2 I doubt whether he will come:
think something unlikely, have (one's) doubts about, question, query, be dubious.
ANTONYMS be confident.
3 stop doubting and believe!
be undecided, have doubts, be irresolute, be ambivalent, be doubtful, be unsure,
be uncertain, be of two minds, hesitate, shilly-shally, waver, vacillate.
ANTONYMS believe.
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pes·si·mism| ˈpesəˌmizəm |
noun
‘a tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen;
a lack of hope or confidence in the future:
the dispute cast an air of deep pessimism over the future of the peace talks.
• Philosophy a belief that this world is as bad as it could be
or that evil will ultimately prevail over good.
formerly he had been prone to pessimism, full of gloomy predictions about the future:
defeatism, negative thinking, negativity, expecting the worst, doom and gloom, gloom, gloominess;
hopelessness, lack of hope, cynicism, fatalism, depression, despair, melancholy, despondency,
dejection, angst, distrust, doubt; German Weltschmerz; informal looking on the black side.
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skepticism | ˈskeptəˌsizəm | (British scepticism)
noun
1 a skeptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something:
these claims were treated with skepticism.
2 Philosophy the theory that certain knowledge is impossible.
1 his ideas were met with skepticism:
doubt, doubtfulness, a pinch of salt; disbelief, cynicism, distrust, mistrust,
suspicion, incredulity; pessimism, defeatism; formal dubiety.
2 he passed from skepticism to religious belief:
agnosticism, doubt; atheism, unbelief, nonbelief.
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truth | tro͞oTH |
noun
(plural truths | tro͞oT͟Hz, tro͞oTHs | )
the quality or state of being true: he had to accept the truth of her accusation.
• (also the truth) that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality:
tell me the truth | she found out the truth about him.
• a fact or belief that is accepted as true: the emergence of scientific truths.
1 he doubted the truth of her statement:
veracity, truthfulness, verity, sincerity, candor, honesty;
accuracy, correctness, validity, factuality, authenticity.
ANTONYMS dishonesty, falseness.
2 it's the truth, I swear: what actually happened, the case, so;
the gospel (truth), the honest truth.
ANTONYMS lies.
3 truth is stranger than fiction: fact(s), reality, real life, actuality.
ANTONYMS fiction.
4 scientific truths: fact, verity, certainty, certitude; law, principle.
ANTONYMS lie, falsehood.
ORIGIN Old English trīewth, trēowth‘faithfulness, constancy’(see true, -th2).