suspend (one's) disbelief
idiom
: to allow oneself to believe that something is true even though it seems impossible
The plot is ridiculous, but if you can suspend disbelief, it's an enjoyable movie.
If you want to enjoy this story, you have to suspend your disbelief.
Examples of suspend (one's) disbelief in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When a crisis puts Sipsworth in danger, the resolution strains credulity, but Van Booy’s yarn proves so appealing that readers will suspend disbelief.
—
Danny Heitman, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 May 2024
The movies are, ideally, a place to suspend disbelief.
—New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024
Aside from the inability to suspend disbelief at the silliness of the shrunken test subjects kept in glass jars, The Bride of Frankenstein sets the standard for horror movie sequels to this day.
—Steven Thrash, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2023
The power of the author grows with his ability to suspend disbelief.
—Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023
As with all science fiction, though, The Creator requires you to suspend disbelief in some important ways.
—WIRED, 30 Sep. 2023
Seven decades had to elapse before readers were willing suspend disbelief about the antebellum South and luxuriate in Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind.
—Amity Shlaes, National Review, 14 Sep. 2023
A lot of what happened in the first three-quarters of TGM required viewers to suspend disbelief.
—al, 20 July 2022
Take Dune, for example, which took not one, but three tries to get right due to the visual difficulties in creating futuristic technology so viewers will suspend disbelief instead of seeing it as silly special effects.
—Milan Polk, Men's Health, 28 Feb. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Danny Heitman, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 May 2024
The movies are, ideally, a place to suspend disbelief.
—New York Times, 26 Mar. 2024
Aside from the inability to suspend disbelief at the silliness of the shrunken test subjects kept in glass jars, The Bride of Frankenstein sets the standard for horror movie sequels to this day.
—Steven Thrash, EW.com, 19 Oct. 2023
The power of the author grows with his ability to suspend disbelief.
—Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023
As with all science fiction, though, The Creator requires you to suspend disbelief in some important ways.
—WIRED, 30 Sep. 2023
Seven decades had to elapse before readers were willing suspend disbelief about the antebellum South and luxuriate in Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind.
—Amity Shlaes, National Review, 14 Sep. 2023
A lot of what happened in the first three-quarters of TGM required viewers to suspend disbelief.
—al, 20 July 2022
Take Dune, for example, which took not one, but three tries to get right due to the visual difficulties in creating futuristic technology so viewers will suspend disbelief instead of seeing it as silly special effects.
—Milan Polk, Men's Health, 28 Feb. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near suspend (one's) disbelief
Cite this Entry
“Suspend (one's) disbelief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suspend%20%28one%27s%29%20disbelief. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share