the leap of faith

Meanings

1. 1nounsingular

   A decision to trust or act without proof, certainty or evidence that it will turn out well.

   Grammar: Usually singular; often with take or make: take a leap of faith.

   Patterns

   • take the leap of faith
   • require the leap of faith

   Quitting her job to start a bakery was the leap of faith she had always feared.

   Investors needed the leap of faith before the technology was proven.

   Moving abroad with no plan felt like the leap of faith of his life.

2. 2nounsingularreligion

   In religion and philosophy, the step of believing in God or a doctrine that cannot be proven by reason.

   Grammar: Associated with a philosophical argument about belief.

   Patterns

   • the leap of faith into belief

   Philosophers discuss the leap of faith as the gap between reason and belief.

   For some people the leap of faith comes suddenly.

   He described conversion as the leap of faith beyond all argument.

Common combinations

take the leap of faith

She took the leap of faith and signed the lease.

make the leap of faith

Customers must make the leap of faith to buy online.

require the leap of faith

The plan will require the leap of faith.

a bit of a leap of faith

Hiring him was a bit of a leap of faith.

Synonyms and how they differ

gamble

A gamble stresses risk of loss, while a leap of faith stresses trust despite uncertainty.

act of trust

This is gentler and does not suggest a big, scary jump.

venture

Venture suggests a risky business undertaking rather than an emotional trust.

Opposites

Word family

leap verb

to jump a long way

leap noun

a big jump or sudden change

faith noun

strong trust or belief

faithful adjective

loyal and trusting

Commonly confused: the leap of faith or blind faith?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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