the suspension of disbelief

Meanings

1. 1phraseuncountableformal

   The willingness to accept a story's unrealistic events as real in order to enjoy it.

   Grammar: Usually used with the definite article: the suspension of disbelief.

   Patterns

   • the suspension of disbelief
   • suspend disbelief
   • require the suspension of disbelief

   The movie asks for a lot of suspension of disbelief because the hero survives every explosion.

   Good fantasy writing depends on the reader's suspension of disbelief.

   The play's sudden ending tested the audience's suspension of disbelief.

2. 2phraseuncountableformal

   In general, a temporary setting aside of doubt so that an idea or experience can be accepted.

   Grammar: Used more broadly in formal writing about belief and imagination.

   Patterns

   • a suspension of disbelief
   • with a suspension of disbelief

   The experiment required a suspension of disbelief about what we thought was possible.

   He listened to the strange claim with a suspension of disbelief.

Common combinations

suspend disbelief

To enjoy the show, you have to suspend disbelief.

require suspension of disbelief

The plot requires some suspension of disbelief.

willing suspension of disbelief

The poem is famous for its willing suspension of disbelief.

test someone's suspension of disbelief

The final twist tests the viewer's suspension of disbelief.

Synonyms and how they differ

willing suspension of disbelief

A more literary phrase that emphasizes the reader or viewer's active choice to believe.

Opposites

Word family

suspend verb

To stop something for a time, or to set aside a feeling.

disbelief noun

A feeling that something is not true or real.

Commonly confused: the suspension of disbelief or suspense?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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