What does suspension of disbelief mean?

Definitions for suspension of disbelief
sus·pen·sion of dis·be·lief

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word suspension of disbelief.

Wiktionary

  1. suspension of disbeliefnoun

    People's acceptance, for the sake of appreciation of art (including literature and the like), of what they know to be a nonfactual premise of the work of art.

Wikipedia

  1. Suspension of Disbelief

    Suspension of disbelief is a willingness to suspend one's critical faculties and believe something surreal; sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment.

Wikidata

  1. Suspension of disbelief

    Suspension of disbelief or willing suspension of disbelief is a term coined in 1817 by the poet and aesthetic philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who suggested that if a writer could infuse a "human interest and a semblance of truth" into a fantastic tale, the reader would suspend judgment concerning the implausibility of the narrative. Suspension of disbelief often applies to fictional works of the action, comedy, fantasy, and horror genres, as well as in professional wrestling. Cognitive estrangement in fiction involves using a person's ignorance or lack of knowledge to promote suspension of disbelief. The phrase "suspension of disbelief" came to be used more loosely in the later 20th century, often used to imply that the burden was on the reader, rather than the writer, to achieve it. This might be used to refer to the willingness of the audience to overlook the limitations of a medium, so that these do not interfere with the acceptance of those premises. These fictional premises may also lend to the engagement of the mind and perhaps proposition of thoughts, ideas, art and theories. Suspension of disbelief is often an essential element for a magic act or a circus sideshow act. For example, an audience is not expected to actually believe that a woman is cut in half or transforms into a gorilla in order to enjoy the performance.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of suspension of disbelief in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of suspension of disbelief in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9


Translations for suspension of disbelief

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"suspension of disbelief." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/suspension+of+disbelief>.

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