skeptical

skep·ti·cal

adjective \-ti-kəl\

Definition of SKEPTICAL

: relating to, characteristic of, or marked by skepticism <a skeptical listener>

— skep·ti·cal·ly \-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of SKEPTICAL

1. She's highly skeptical of the researchers' claims.
2. He says he can win, but I remain skeptical.
3. When I said I'd finished my homework early, Mom looked skeptical.

First Known Use of SKEPTICAL

1639

Related to SKEPTICAL

Synonyms

disbelieving, distrustful, doubting, incredulous, mistrustful, negativistic, questioning, show-me, suspecting, suspicious, unbelieving

Antonyms

credulous, gullible (also gullable), trustful, trusting, uncritical, unquestioning

Related Words

paranoid (also paranoidal); critical, puzzled, quizzical; careful, cautious, guarded, gun-shy, leery (also leary), wary, watchful; cynical, experienced, knowing, sophisticated, worldly, worldly-wise; curious, inquiring, inquisitive, nosy (or nosey), snoopy; uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, undetermined, unsettled, unsure; hesitant

Near Antonyms

green, ingenuous, innocent, naive (or naïve), simple, simpleminded, unknowing, unsophisticated, unworldly, wide-eyed; certain, confident, positive, sure; callow, inexperienced, raw; childlike, idealistic, impractical; beguiled, deceived, duped, gulled, tricked; careless, heedless, unsuspecting, unsuspicious, unwary

Other Philosophy Terms

dialectic, dualism, epistemology, existentialism, metaphysics, ontology, sequitur, solipsism, transcendentalism