skeptical
Americanadjective
-
inclined to skepticism; having an attitude of doubt.
a skeptical young woman who will question whatever you say.
- Synonyms:
- skeptic
-
doubtful about a particular thing.
My teacher thinks I can get a scholarship, but I'm skeptical.
-
showing doubt.
a skeptical smile.
-
denying or questioning the tenets of a religion.
a skeptical approach to the nature of miracles.
- Synonyms:
- unbelieving
-
(initial capital letter) of or relating to Skeptics or Skepticism.
Related Words
See doubtful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of skeptical
Explanation
If a friend told you that her family was perfect and they never had any problems, would you believe her? If not, you may be skeptical. Skeptical people look at the world with a certain amount of doubt. This word comes from ancient Greece, where a philosopher named Pyrrho taught his followers that we can never really understand the true nature of things, only how they appear to us. (So basically, we should stop searching for the meaning of life and just relax.) In Pyrrho's view, the true sage was someone who realized that it was impossible to be certain about anything. His followers were called Skeptikoi, or Skeptics; the Greek word skeptikos means “given to asking questions.”
Vocabulary lists containing skeptical
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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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 prefer to be skeptical about A.I. because people have already found so many destructive uses for it and I don’t trust Sam Altman or his competitors as far as I can throw them.
From Slate • May 24, 2026
Tracy Macgregor, a friend since grade school, was skeptical of his claims about the business.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
"I was originally skeptical about the negativity on social media, but the evidence is mounting up," Plant continues.
From BBC • May 23, 2026
The announcement resembled Colossal’s rollout of the “dire wolf” pups: Publications that had received guided tours of its lab produced breathless articles taking Colossal’s claims at face value, generally lacking skeptical commentary by unaffiliated biologists.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
Then he raises a skeptical eyebrow at me.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
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.
