Synonyms

skepticism

American

[skep-tuh-siz-uhm] / ˈskɛp təˌsɪz əm /

Or scepticism

noun

skeptical attitude or temper; doubt.

Synonyms:

questioning
doubt or unbelief with regard to a religion, especially Christianity.

Synonyms:

agnosticism, atheism, disbelief

Antonyms:

faith
(initial capital letter) the doctrines or opinions of philosophical Skeptics; universal doubt.

skepticism Cultural

In philosophy, the position that what cannot be proved by reason should not be believed. One of the main tasks of epistemology is to find an answer to the charge of some extreme skeptics that no knowledge is possible.

Other Word Forms

antiskepticism noun

Etymology

Origin of skepticism

First recorded in 1640–50; from New Latin scepticismus; equivalent to skeptic + -ism

Explanation

Skepticism is doubt about something — you're just not convinced or can't totally believe it. If your brother is only four feet tall, you should view his claims that he can slam dunk a basketball with a lot of skepticism. If you like to poke holes in other people's ideas, then you are full of skepticism. Some people follow a specific belief system that questions the truth of anything, but most people save their skepticism for certain things. Tabloids, Big Foot sightings, and over-eager used car salesmen should all be viewed with a little skepticism. On the other hand, gullible folks believe everything they hear and don't have much, if any, skepticism.

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Vocabulary lists containing skepticism

"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary

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Power Suffix: -ism

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Outliers

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill expressed skepticism about waiting to assess the Middle East conflict’s impact on U.K. inflation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

My lifelong commitment to social justice and my eternal skepticism of power and avarice comes from what I learned growing up at St. Boniface in Anaheim.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

"For many years, lifespan was attributed mainly to non-genetic factors, fueling skepticism about genetic determinants of longevity."

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

That skepticism is now being directed at Fox itself.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026

Naturally I was greeted with skepticism, but that’s the wonderful thing about basketball: you got game or you don’t.

From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023