--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Willing Suspension of Disbelief" description: "\"“Willing Suspension of Disbelief”\" — Samuel Taylor Coleridge" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f9/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_quote_willing-suspension-of-disbelief-1165055_1165055.jpg" --- # Willing Suspension of Disbelief ![“Willing Suspension of Disbelief” quote by Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f9/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_quote_willing-suspension-of-disbelief-1165055_1165055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f9/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_quote_willing-suspension-of-disbelief-1165055_1165055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f9/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_quote_willing-suspension-of-disbelief-1165055_1165055.jpg) > ““Willing Suspension of Disbelief”” [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The phrase describes the intentional act of setting aside disbelief to engage with fiction or art, allowing imagination to flourish. **In simple terms:** Suspend disbelief to enjoy imagination. Key Takeaway Allow imagination to guide you. Themes imagination fiction engagement Mood creative analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading - theatre - film - role‑playing Key Concepts suspension of disbelief creative immersion Questions to Reflect On - When is it healthy to suspend disbelief? - How does disbelief affect creativity? A Different Perspective Too much suspension can blur reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disbelief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelief/) ## Related quotes > [There should be a name for this, for the process whereby one knows one is being yanked and concedes it has been done successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-noonan/there-should-be-a-name-for-this-for-the-process-whereby-one-knows-one/) [Peggy Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-noonan/) > [What do you know? Haven't you heard of suspension of disbelief?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-wood/what-do-you-know-haven-t-you-heard-of-suspension-of-disbelief/) [Ed Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-wood/) > [The stage is suspension of disbelief. Film is a literal medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bologna/the-stage-is-suspension-of-disbelief-film-is-a-literal-medium/) [Joseph Bologna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bologna/) > [Sometimes I read a script and it's obvious from early on that it's one where the suspension of disbelief has to develop strongly from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-anderson/sometimes-i-read-a-script-and-it-s-obvious-from-early-on-that-it-s/) [Gillian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-anderson/) > [“Somehow I could lose myself in the ocean the same way I could lose myself in a good book. Maybe it was because both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-marie-mont/somehow-i-could-lose-myself-in-the-ocean-the-same-way-i-could-lose/) Eve Marie Mont > [Some popular quotations smell of airless closets. They exhale the stale imagination of the intellectual lower middle class. "Suspension of disbelief" has become one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-arnheim/some-popular-quotations-smell-of-airless-closets-they-exhale-the/) [Rudolf Arnheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-arnheim/) > [In acting it's all about suspension of disbelief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-coughlan/in-acting-it-s-all-about-suspension-of-disbelief/) [Nicola Coughlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-coughlan/) > [I'm not a moron, but science fiction to me requires a suspension of disbelief and honest curiosity or fascination in that kind of bullshit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-maron/i-m-not-a-moron-but-science-fiction-to-me-requires-a-suspension-of/) [Marc Maron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-maron/) > [I want to regard my public as infinitely intelligent, as understanding notions of the suspension of disbelief and as realising all the time that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/i-want-to-regard-my-public-as-infinitely-intelligent-as-understanding/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [It's absolutely fine when Wile E. 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That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/it-s-absolutely-fine-when-wile-e-coyote-walks-in-with-a-band-aid-on/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [Suspension of disbelief and that whole question is part of the heart of the 'Leaves of Grass'movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/suspension-of-disbelief-and-that-whole-question-is-part-of-the-heart/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [“Suspension of Disbelief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-christian/suspension-of-disbelief/) Charles Christian > [The more you can create that magic bubble, that suspension of disbelief, for a while, the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/the-more-you-can-create-that-magic-bubble-that-suspension-of/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [The infrastructure of the US is a long-term suspension of disbelief that such things won't be exploded deliberately by people who don't create anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winer/the-infrastructure-of-the-us-is-a-long-term-suspension-of-disbelief/) [Dave Winer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winer/) > [Those who write need that "willing suspension of disbelief ", as Coleridge called it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-ferrante/those-who-write-need-that-willing-suspension-of-disbelief-as/) [Elena Ferrante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-ferrante/) ## More by Samuel Taylor Coleridge > [Humor is consistent with pathos, whilst wit is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/humor-is-consistent-with-pathos-whilst-wit-is-not/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [The first duty of a wise advocate is to convince his opponents that he understands their arguments, and sympathies with their just feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-first-duty-of-a-wise-advocate-is-to-convince-his-opponents-that/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/and-the-devil-did-grin-for-his-darling-sin-is-pride-that-apes-humility/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Facts are not truths; they are not conclusions; they are not even premises, but in the nature and parts of premises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/facts-are-not-truths-they-are-not-conclusions-they-are-not-even/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [I do not wish you to act from these truths; no, still and always act from your feelings; only meditate often on these truths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/i-do-not-wish-you-to-act-from-these-truths-no-still-and-always-act/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [A poet ought not to pick nature's pocket. Let him borrow, and so borrow as to repay by the very act of borrowing. Examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/a-poet-ought-not-to-pick-nature-s-pocket-let-him-borrow-and-so-borrow/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [With no other privilege than that of sympathy and sincere good wishes, I would address an affectionate exhortation to the youthful literati, grounded on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/with-no-other-privilege-than-that-of-sympathy-and-sincere-good-wishes/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Ignorance seldom vaults into knowledge...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/ignorance-seldom-vaults-into-knowledge/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee, Whether the summer clothe the general earth With greenness, or the redbreast sit and sing Betwixt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/therefore-all-seasons-shall-be-sweet-to-thee-whether-the-summer/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Why are not more gems from our great authors scattered over the country? Great books are not in everybody's reach; and though it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/why-are-not-more-gems-from-our-great-authors-scattered-over-the/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Life went a-maying With Nature, Hope, and Poesy, When I was young!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/life-went-a-maying-with-nature-hope-and-poesy-when-i-was-young/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [No voice; but oh - the silence sank Like music on my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/no-voice-but-oh-the-silence-sank-like-music-on-my-heart/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [The three great ends which a statesman ought to propose to himself in the government of a nation, are 1. Security to possessors; 2.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-three-great-ends-which-a-statesman-ought-to-propose-to-himself-in/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [“We in ourselves rejoice! And thence flows all that charms or ear or sight, All melodies the echoes of that voice, All colours a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/we-in-ourselves-rejoice-and-thence-flows-all-that-charms-or-ear-or/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) [Explore all 570 Samuel Taylor Coleridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) ## More Disbelief quotes > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sadder-proof-can-be-given-by-a-man-of-his-own-littleness-than/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“(Marlowe's) Faustus stubbornly reverts to his atheistic beliefs and continues his elementary pagan re-education ~ the inferno to him is a 'place' invented by men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/marlowe-s-faustus-stubbornly-reverts-to-his-atheistic-beliefs-and/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [So little is actually worthy of belief or disbelief. Better to strive to coexist than seek to disapprove . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/so-little-is-actually-worthy-of-belief-or-disbelief-better-to-strive/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [In Lullabies, I wanted to capture what I remembered of the drunken babbling of unfortunate twelve-year-olds: their illusions, their ludicrously bad choices, their lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-o-neill/in-lullabies-i-wanted-to-capture-what-i-remembered-of-the-drunken/) [Heather O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-o-neill/) > [“on page 96 of my hero Peter Medawar’s book The Limits of Science: ‘I regret my disbelief in God and religious answers generally, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/on-page-96-of-my-hero-peter-medawar-s-book-the-limits-of-science-i/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“The devil's best defense is a person's disbelief in his existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kent-krueger/the-devil-s-best-defense-is-a-person-s-disbelief-in-his-existence/) [William Kent Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kent-krueger/) > [As long as God does not intervene in the contemporary universe in such a way as to violate physical laws, science has no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/as-long-as-god-does-not-intervene-in-the-contemporary-universe-in/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Whenever you're writing a book or creating a movie or a game, your first task is to get the reader to suspend disbelief, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/whenever-you-re-writing-a-book-or-creating-a-movie-or-a-game-your/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [The decline of witch-belief was . . . entirely the product of religious skepticism. . . . The Catholic Church did not reform itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-t-joshi-2/the-decline-of-witch-belief-was-entirely-the-product-of-religious/) [S. T. Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-t-joshi-2/) > [Musicals are, by nature, theatrical, meaning poetic, meaning having to move the audience's imagination and create a suspension of disbelief, by which I mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/musicals-are-by-nature-theatrical-meaning-poetic-meaning-having-to/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [For once, his vampire expression failed him. His response was right there on his face, in full view and easily read. He went from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-arthur/for-once-his-vampire-expression-failed-him-his-response-was-right/) [Keri Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-arthur/) > [For any true stickler, you see, the sight of the plural word “Book’s” with an apostrophe in it will trigger a ghastly private emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/for-any-true-stickler-you-see-the-sight-of-the-plural-word-book-s/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“Some readers may find it a curious or even unscientific endeavour to craft a criminological model of organised abuse based on the testimony of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/some-readers-may-find-it-a-curious-or-even-unscientific-endeavour-to/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) [Browse all 431 Disbelief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disbelief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Willing Suspension of Disbelief”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Taylor Coleridge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/willing-suspension-of-disbelief/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disbelief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/willing-suspension-of-disbelief/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f9/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_quote_willing-suspension-of-disbelief-1165055_1165055.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f9/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_quote_willing-suspension-of-disbelief-1165055_1165055.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f9/samuel-taylor-coleridge-425_quote_willing-suspension-of-disbelief-1165055_1165055.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Willing Suspension of Disbelief” — Samuel Taylor Coleridge", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Samuel Taylor Coleridge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Willing Suspension of Disbelief”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/willing-suspension-of-disbelief/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/willing-suspension-of-disbelief/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```