faith
faith — noun
1. the feeling of being sure that someone or something is honest, reliable, or capa
the feeling of being sure that someone or something is honest, reliable, or capable, even when you cannot prove it with facts
Mira showed complete faith in her lawyer's advice about the case.
collocation: have/show faith in [person]
The players never lost faith in their coach, even after five straight losses.
collocation: lose faith in [person]
Jiwoo has faith that the new system will improve the company's efficiency.
Public faith in the government's ability to manage the crisis collapsed quickly.
It takes a lot of faith to trust someone you have just met.
- trust
more personal and relational; 'trust' can be transitive ('I trust you'), while 'faith' needs 'in'
- confidence
based more on past evidence or proven ability; less emotional than 'faith'
- reliance
focuses on depending on someone for practical help rather than emotional belief
文法句型
have faith in [person/thing]
lose faith in [person/thing]
have faith that [clause]
用法筆記
Followed by 'in' + noun phrase ('faith in democracy') or a that-clause ('faith that everything will work out'). The opposite is 'doubt' or 'suspicion'.
常見錯誤
2. a specific system of religious belief, such as Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism,
a specific system of religious belief, such as Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism, with its own teachings, practices, and community of followers
The conference brought together religious leaders from many different faiths.
collocation: people of different/all faiths
Christopher was raised in the Catholic faith but later decided to explore Buddhism.
collocation: be raised in/brought up in the [religion] faith
Amihan wrote her university essay on the role of women in the Hindu faith.
The law guarantees the right of every citizen to practise their own faith freely.
People of all faiths joined together to help rebuild the damaged community centre.
- religion
broader term that includes the institution, culture, and practices; 'faith' emphasises the belief system more
- creed
more formal, refers to a formal statement of religious beliefs rather than the whole religion
- denomination
a subgroup within a religion, such as Protestantism within Christianity
文法句型
the [adjective] faith
people of all faiths
[religion name] faith
用法筆記
Used countably when referring to distinct religions ('three major faiths'). Often preceded by 'the' + adjective ('the Jewish faith'). Not interchangeable with 'religion' in all contexts — 'faith' emphasises the belief aspect, while 'religion' includes the institutional and cultural dimensions.
常見錯誤
3. a strong personal belief in God, gods, or the teachings of a religion, felt deep
a strong personal belief in God, gods, or the teachings of a religion, felt deeply in the heart rather than proven by facts
Faisal draws strength from his faith during times of difficulty and loss.
collocation: draw strength from one's faith
The elderly nun said her faith in God had never wavered in seventy years.
collocation: faith in God
Tamar knelt by her hospital bed each night and prayed, drawing peace from her faith in God.
Tara lost her faith after the tragedy and stopped going to church altogether.
The priest encouraged the congregation to keep their faith strong through prayer.
- belief
broader — can be secular or religious; 'faith' specifically implies a trust-based, often religious conviction
- piety
focuses on devout behaviour and religious devotion rather than inner conviction
- spirituality
broader range, may not involve a deity or organised religion
文法句型
have faith
faith in God
strengthen one's faith
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to the personal quality of believing ('a woman of deep faith'). Write 'a faith' only when specifying the religion (see sense 2). 'Faith' without an article is the general concept of spiritual conviction.
常見錯誤
4. the quality of staying loyal to a person, group, or promise, shown by acting hon
the quality of staying loyal to a person, group, or promise, shown by acting honestly and keeping commitments
Lakan has always kept faith with his childhood friends, even after moving abroad.
idiom: keep faith with [person]
The union accused the company of negotiating in bad faith by hiding important information.
idiom: in bad faith
The two countries signed the peace agreement in good faith, hoping for lasting peace.
Rodrigo felt his partner had broken faith with their agreement to share the work.
Adaeze never broke faith with her principles, even when it cost her the promotion.
- loyalty
broader and more common; 'faith' in this sense specifically implies keeping promises
- fidelity
more formal, often used in legal or marital contexts
- allegiance
typically used for political or national loyalty
文法句型
in good faith
in bad faith
keep faith with
break faith with
用法筆記
Dominantly used in fixed expressions. 'In good faith' means with honest intentions; 'in bad faith' means intending to deceive. 'Keep/break faith with' concerns loyalty to a person, group, or set of principles.
常見錯誤
5. a strong conviction that something is true or right, or that something good will
a strong conviction that something is true or right, or that something good will happen, even when there is no factual evidence to support it
Renata took a leap of faith and moved to a country she had never visited.
idiom: leap of faith
The team's faith in the project never faded, even after all the early difficulties.
Mizuki stayed at the lab past midnight, clinging to her faith that the experiment would eventually work.
The scientist argued that faith has no place in a discipline built on evidence.
To start your own business without any savings requires a lot of faith.
- conviction
a firmly held belief, often based on moral principles rather than hope
- optimism
focuses on expecting good outcomes rather than inner conviction about truth
- hope
a desire for something to happen, while 'faith' implies stronger certainty
- scepticism
the tendency to question claims that lack proof
- disbelief
refusal or inability to accept something as true
文法句型
have faith in [something unproven]
faith that [clause]
leap of faith
article of faith
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 is trust in a person or thing's known reliability; this sense is conviction in the truth of something despite lacking evidence. Often used in the phrases 'leap of faith' (trusting an uncertain outcome) and 'article of faith' (a principle accepted without question).
常見錯誤
faith — verb
1. to believe or have trust in someone or something (a form that is no longer used
to believe or have trust in someone or something (a form that is no longer used in everyday modern English, found mainly in very old texts)
In the ancient manuscript, the writer urges readers to faith in divine protection.
archaic transitive verb use
Few people today would faith in such superstitious remedies for their illnesses.
The old prayer book instructs believers to faith God's mercy without question.
Seventeenth-century poets often wrote about those who faith in fate rather than reason.
文法句型
faith + noun phrase
faith in + noun phrase
用法筆記
Almost never used in modern English. If you see it, it belongs to historical or literary contexts from before the 18th century. Modern equivalents are 'believe', 'trust', or 'have faith in'.