Cool MateBelieve vs They regard as a harmless vice
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Believe
Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb
They regard as a harmless vice
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Believe
| Believe | They regard as a harmless vice | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/bɪˈliːv/","/bɪˈliːvz/","/bɪˈliːvd/","/bɪˈliːvɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/bɪˈliːv/","/bɪˈliːvz/","/bɪˈliːvd/","/bɪˈliːvɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðeɪ rɪˈɡɑːd æz ə ˈhɑːmləs vaɪs//🇺🇸 //ðeɪ rɪˈɡɑrd æz ə ˈhɑrmləs vaɪs// |
| Meaning | to think that something is true | They think it is a small, not serious problem. |
| Example | I believe in fairytales. | Many people regard chocolate consumption as a harmless vice. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | deeply, fervently, firmly, cannot, be hard to, give somebody to, can hardly believe something, can scarcely believe something, not believe a word of something, deeply, fervently, firmly, cannot, be hard to, give somebody to, can hardly believe something, can scarcely believe something, not believe a word of something, deeply, fervently, firmly, cannot, be hard to, give somebody to, can hardly believe something, can scarcely believe something, not believe a word of something | regard as important, regard as beneficial, regard with suspicion, regard with favor, regard as a problem |
| Antonyms | deny, doubt | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'believe in' (which means to trust in the existence or value of something)., Using 'believe' without an object (e.g., 'I believe.' should specify what)., Mixing 'believe' with 'think' when conveying certainty (they have slight differences). | Using 'regard' without the 'as' structure., Confusing 'vice' with 'virtue'., Mixing up the subject and object positions. |
| Usage notes | Most often used in statements of faith or trust. Avoid in formal writing when expressing doubt; instead, use 'consider' or 'regard'. | Use this phrase to express a belief about the nature of something. It’s suitable for neutral discussions, but avoid in academic writing. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Believe vs They regard as a harmless vice
What's the difference between Believe and They regard as a harmless vice?
Believe: to think that something is true They regard as a harmless vice: They think it is a small, not serious problem.
Which is more common: Believe and They regard as a harmless vice?
Believe is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Believe: I believe in fairytales. They regard as a harmless vice: Many people regard chocolate consumption as a harmless vice.
Can I use Believe and They regard as a harmless vice interchangeably?
Not always. Believe and They regard as a harmless vice are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.