skeptic

Or scep·tic

[skep-tik]

noun

1. a person who questions the validity or authenticity of something purporting to be factual.

2. a person who maintains a doubting attitude, as toward values, plans, statements, or the character of others.

3. a person who doubts the truth of a religion, especially Christianity, or of important elements of it.

   Synonyms: doubter
   Antonyms: believer

4. (initial capital letter)

   1. a member of a philosophical school of ancient Greece, the earliest group of which consisted of Pyrrho and his followers, who maintained that real knowledge of things is impossible.

   2. any later thinker who doubts or questions the possibility of real knowledge of any kind.

adjective

1. pertaining to skeptics or skepticism; skeptical.

2. (initial capital letter),  pertaining to the Skeptics.

skeptic

/ ˈskɛptɪk /

noun

1. an archaic, and the usual US, spelling of sceptic

Other Word Forms

• skepticism noun
• skepticalness noun
• skeptical adjective
• skeptically adverb
• antiskeptic noun
• nonskeptic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of skeptic¹

1565–75; < Late Latin scepticus thoughtful, inquiring (in plural Scepticī the Skeptics) < Greek skeptikós, equivalent to sképt ( esthai ) to consider, examine (akin to skopeîn to look; -scope ) + -ikos -ic

Synonym Study

See agnostic.

Example Sentences

Many have grown wary of changes to federal health guidance since Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, became health and human services secretary.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Howell said the skeptics “were just young people that had absolutely no idea what the effects of their actions were.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

You don’t have to be an AI skeptic to question the mania.

Read more on MarketWatch

This month’s start of the National Football League season powered record trading volumes at Kalshi, defying skeptics who expected the platform to struggle outside of election years.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

For years, doctors and public-health officials have been used to vaccine skeptics on the outside demanding changes to standard medical practice.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• agnostic 
• cynic 
• dissenter 
• doubter www.thesaurus.com
• pessimist 
• questioner www.thesaurus.com