skepticism
Americannoun
-
skeptical attitude or temper; doubt.
- Synonyms:
- questioning
-
doubt or unbelief with regard to a religion, especially Christianity.
- Synonyms:
- agnosticism, atheism, disbelief
- Antonyms:
- faith
-
(initial capital letter) the doctrines or opinions of philosophical Skeptics; universal doubt.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of skepticism
First recorded in 1640–50; from New Latin scepticismus; equivalent to skeptic + -ism
Explanation
Skepticism is doubt about something — you're just not convinced or can't totally believe it. If your brother is only four feet tall, you should view his claims that he can slam dunk a basketball with a lot of skepticism. If you like to poke holes in other people's ideas, then you are full of skepticism. Some people follow a specific belief system that questions the truth of anything, but most people save their skepticism for certain things. Tabloids, Big Foot sightings, and over-eager used car salesmen should all be viewed with a little skepticism. On the other hand, gullible folks believe everything they hear and don't have much, if any, skepticism.
Vocabulary lists containing skepticism
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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Power Suffix: -ism
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Outliers
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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.
But the retailer’s optimism about those plans has run up against skepticism from investors, who sent shares lower on Wednesday.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
Many of Swann’s readers admit a similar skepticism until they cracked her book’s spine and discovered they couldn’t put it down.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
Treasury yields rose sharply in a week marked by growing skepticism about a fast solution to the Middle East conflict.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
But when McKnight brought the brand to the U.S., he was met with skepticism.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
He’d have thought that knee-jerk skepticism would have been knuckled under by the sight of the enormous floating seraph in the sky.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
