skeptical

American  

[skep-ti-kuhl] / ˈskɛp tɪ kəl /

Or sceptical

adjective

1. inclined to skepticism; having an attitude of doubt.

   a skeptical young woman who will question whatever you say.

   Synonyms:

   skeptic

2. doubtful about a particular thing.

   My teacher thinks I can get a scholarship, but I'm skeptical.

3. showing doubt.

   a skeptical smile.

4. denying or questioning the tenets of a religion.

   a skeptical approach to the nature of miracles.

   Synonyms:

   unbelieving

5. (initial capital letter) of or relating to Skeptics or Skepticism.

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Related Words

See doubtful.

Other Word Forms

• antiskeptical adjective
• nonskeptical adjective
• overskeptical adjective
• overskeptically adverb
• overskepticalness noun
• skeptically adverb
• skepticalness noun
• unskeptical adjective
• unskeptically adverb

Etymology

Origin of skeptical

First recorded in 1630–40; skeptic + -al ¹

Example Sentences

However, some analysts are skeptical about how that will be reflected in broader wage growth.

From The Wall Street Journal

Nikhil Kumar, who also plays for the Paddlers and competed in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, told AFP he was "a little bit skeptical" when he first heard of Major League Table Tennis.

From Barron's

Demographers are skeptical that subsidies can move the needle much against forces like high education costs, job insecurity, delayed marriage, and shifting gender norms.

From Barron's

The plaintive observation, ascribed to the early Victorian British Prime Minister Viscount Melbourne about the acerbically self-confident historian Thomas Babington Macaulay, remains the motto of the thoughtfully skeptical man through the ages.

From The Wall Street Journal

Investors skeptical of Oracle’s prospects have pointed to the company’s aggressive spending as it builds out data centers for its infrastructure deals.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• doubtful
• dubious
• incredulous
• mistrustful
• suspicious
• unconvinced