suspension of disbelief

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The willingness of an audience to accept unrealistic events in a story as true for a while, so that they can enjoy it.

   Grammar: Used without an or an: the film requires suspension of disbelief.

   Patterns

   • require suspension of disbelief
   • ask for suspension of disbelief from someone

   Superhero films depend on the audience's suspension of disbelief.

   A little suspension of disbelief is needed to enjoy a story about talking animals.

   The sloppy special effects broke my suspension of disbelief.

2. 2noununcountablefigurative

   The choice to set aside doubts or logic and accept an idea, claim or illusion without checking it, usually for pleasure.

   Grammar: A more general use outside fiction: watching a magic show also needs it.

   Patterns

   • a willing suspension of disbelief

   Watching a magic trick takes a willing suspension of disbelief.

   Playing video games asks for suspension of disbelief about physics.

   Children show natural suspension of disbelief during pretend play.

Common combinations

require suspension of disbelief

Time-travel stories require suspension of disbelief.

willing suspension of disbelief

Readers bring a willing suspension of disbelief to fantasy novels.

break the suspension of disbelief

A modern phone in a medieval movie breaks the suspension of disbelief.

ask for suspension of disbelief

The plot asks for too much suspension of disbelief.

need a suspension of disbelief

You need a suspension of disbelief to enjoy a cartoon.

Synonyms and how they differ

make-believe

Make-believe is a childlike word for pretending, whereas suspension of disbelief names the audience's mental choice.

credulity

Credulity means being too ready to believe things and carries criticism, while suspension of disbelief is a knowing, temporary act.

willingness to believe

This plain phrase describes the same idea in everyday terms without the literary tone.

Opposites

Word family

suspend verb

to stop or delay something for a time

suspension noun

the act of stopping something temporarily

disbelieve verb

to refuse to accept that something is true

disbelief noun

a feeling of not being able to accept that something is true

Commonly confused: suspension of disbelief or disbelief?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “suspension of disbelief”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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