skeptical

adjective

ˈskep-ti-kəl How to pronounce skeptical (audio)
Definition of skepticalnext
1
as in suspicious
inclined to doubt or question claims it's good to be skeptical about what you see on TV

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unsure
not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something I'm a little skeptical of this low bid, since it's way below what the other contractors said that they would charge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of skeptical Ladish, the executive director of Palisade Research, said those skeptical of how powerful AI will become should consider how far the technology has advanced in just a few years. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026 There were some insiders who were skeptical about De Luca and Abdy. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026 Prominent Italian production executive Marco Chimenz, former president of the European Producers Club, is skeptical. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026 In my case, the individual discussions ranged from totally fascinating with someone who totally understood the work … and then another person who was very open about being skeptical about how genetics could possibly solve such a problem. — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for skeptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skeptical
  1. suspicious
  2. unsure
  3. cautious
  4. doubtful
  5. incredulous
  6. uncertain
  7. careful
  8. wary
Adjective
  • Mongol rule had been deeply humiliating, and Ming leaders grew suspicious of foreign influence.
    — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The move comes as British counter-terrorism police investigate suspicious activity near the Royal Air Force station and amid reports that US commanders received new information about a possible threat involving Iran.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of suspicious
Adjective
  • Tony Hanna, a parent of a Black Bob Elementary School student, said during public comments Thursday night that parents were unsure whether the six schools were the right choice.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Patriot batteries are being deployed, but communities are still developing civil-defense plans, leaving some residents unsure where to take shelter.
    — Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsure
Adjective
  • Arellano contends that Becerra should project a more forceful, less cautious persona, drawing on the immigrant and working-class experience of Latino families.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Be cautious with financial ventures before taking unnecessary risks.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • Star freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley began the week listed as questionable on the availability report, a step up from his doubtful classification last Wednesday.
    — Sean Campbell, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Experts, including Higel, are doubtful that the Iraqi government will be able to disarm the Iran-loyal groups even if war between Iran and the US ends.
    — Sarah Tamimi, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of doubtful
Adjective
  • The title comes from a phrase that became part of his creative vocabulary and began appearing in sketches whenever an absurd situation called for a perfectly incredulous response.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Girot’s son-in-law, a physician, was incredulous and ordered him to see his primary-care doctor.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of incredulous
Adjective
  • Exactly how far south the aurora might appear remains uncertain and depends on how the incoming CMEs interact with Earth's magnetic field.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • While companies often look to make supply-chain adjustments in the face of tariffs, that really hasn’t happened because the trade landscape is too uncertain to make long-term adjustments.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of uncertain
Adjective
  • Democratic congressional candidates will also need to be careful about balancing partisan messages to their base with more measured appeals to independent voters.
    — Julio Borquez, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But perhaps the biggest challenge of all was being extremely careful not to pass moral judgment on the story or any of the characters being portrayed.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Smaller banks may not be able to participate in the process and even large ones may initially be wary of untested new rules.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Marlow has a long list of reasons to be wary of Flock and similar systems.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of wary

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skeptic
skeptical
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Cite this Entry

“Skeptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skeptical. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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