Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

incredulous

American  
[in-krej-uh-luhs] / ɪnˈkrɛdʒ ə ləs /

adjective

  1. not credulous; disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical

  2. indicating or showing unbelief.

    an incredulous smile.
incredulous British  
/ ɪnˈkrɛdjʊləs /

adjective

  1. (often foll by of) not prepared or willing to believe (something); unbelieving

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See doubtful.

Other Word Forms

  • incredulously adverb
  • incredulousness noun

Etymology

Origin of incredulous

From the Latin word incrēdulus, dating back to 1525–35; in- 3, credulous

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.

Clare shot her a mutually incredulous look, and she crossed her arms.

From Literature

“You walked all the way from Dresden?” the soldier asked, still incredulous.

From Literature

I watched, incredulous, as two figures appeared from the other side of the switchboard.

From Literature

That is how a teenager got a three-time American League MVP to bounce into a double play in front of 30,000 incredulous fans.

From The Wall Street Journal

Travelers at the airport Monday who heard about the vote were incredulous.

From Los Angeles Times

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.