incredulous
Americanadjective
-
not credulous; disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical
-
indicating or showing unbelief.
an incredulous smile.
adjective
Synonym Usage
See doubtful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of incredulous
From the Latin word incrēdulus, dating back to 1525–35; see in- 3, credulous
Explanation
If you are incredulous, that means you can't or won't believe something. If you tell people about those aliens you met the other night, they'll probably give you an incredulous look. Incredulous is the opposite of credulous, which means "believing too easily." Both words come from the Latin word credere, which means "to believe." Incredulous is stronger than skeptical; if you're incredulous, you refuse to believe something, but if you're skeptical, you're doubtful but you haven't ruled it out completely. If someone insists that your best friend is actually an underworld spy, you'll probably look at them with incredulous anger.
Vocabulary lists containing incredulous
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The Outsiders
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Lord of the Flies
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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.
I’m incredulous, gobsmacked, and I don’t even get a delicious salad big enough to feed a Texas marching band.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
McKellen is incredulous that “The Christophers” was written for him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
Travelers at the airport Monday who heard about the vote were incredulous.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2026
Curious onlookers filmed the scene on their smartphones, many still incredulous at the speed and magnitude of the day's events.
From Barron's ● Jan. 4, 2026
An hour later, I stood panting and thrashing around with my third bowl of dough, with Mother and Viola growing more incredulous by the minute.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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.
