incredulity
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of incredulity
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English incredulite, from Latin incrēdulitās; see incredulous, -ity
Explanation
Incredulity is the state of not believing. I greeted the stranger's story about needing bus fare with incredulity. "I just don't believe you," I said. "The bit about your diabetic cat was a little over the top." In Latin, credere means "to believe." You'll see it at the roots of creed "statement of belief," credible "believable," credulous "a person who readily believes," and incredulous "a person who doesn't."
Vocabulary lists containing incredulity
A Raisin in the Sun
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Believe It or Not: Cred
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1984
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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.
Several survivors reached out to each other, sharing their incredulity at what had just unfolded, and began coordinating how they would respond.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
Ryan Tsui, whose brother and niece died in the sinking, previously said he followed the case with "incredulity" as he said witnesses dodged responsibility.
From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026
Tsui said he followed the inquest with "incredulity" as one witness after another dodged responsibility for the missing watertight door, a fault traced back to the ship's origin at a local shipyard.
From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025
Others in the industry privately voice incredulity at what has become a whirlwind of announcements from Rheinmetall on new contracts, joint ventures and other deals.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 29, 2025
The reaction of the Scholars confirmed her feeling, because Lord Asriel’s words caused a sudden collective silence, followed by gasps of incredulity.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
