skepticism

noun

skep·​ti·​cism ˈskep-tə-ˌsi-zəm 

1

: an attitude of doubt or a disposition to incredulity either in general or toward a particular object

2

a

: the doctrine that true knowledge or knowledge in a particular area is uncertain

b

: the method of suspended judgment, systematic doubt, or criticism characteristic of skeptics

3

: doubt concerning basic religious principles (such as immortality, providence, and revelation)

Synonyms of skepticism

• doubt
• suspicion
• uncertainty
• distrust

Choose the Right Synonym for skepticism

uncertainty, doubt, dubiety, skepticism, suspicion, mistrust mean lack of sureness about someone or something.

uncertainty may range from a falling short of certainty to an almost complete lack of conviction or knowledge especially about an outcome or result.

assumed the role of manager without hesitation or uncertainty

doubt suggests both uncertainty and inability to make a decision.

plagued by doubts as to what to do

dubiety stresses a wavering between conclusions.

felt some dubiety about its practicality

skepticism implies unwillingness to believe without conclusive evidence.

an economic forecast greeted with skepticism

suspicion stresses lack of faith in the truth, reality, fairness, or reliability of something or someone.

regarded the stranger with suspicion

mistrust implies a genuine doubt based upon suspicion.

had a great mistrust of doctors

Examples of skepticism in a Sentence

She regarded the researcher's claims with skepticism.

It's good to maintain a healthy skepticism about fad diets.

Recent Examples on the Web

After years of skepticism, investors and customers are now approaching nuclear as an obvious solution to rising power needs. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 17 Dec. 2025

But Wiles offered deep skepticism to Vanity Fair about Putin. —Bill Barrow, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025

The more China asserts leadership, the more its actions invite skepticism—leaving it strong in capacity and financial power yet uncertain in character and weak in credibility. —Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

While the numbers offer a glimpse into the labor market during the government shutdown, experts say investors and government officials will likely view the data with some skepticism, given questions about the accuracy and completeness of data collection following the shutdown. —Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for skepticism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism

Kids Definition

skepticism

noun

skep·​ti·​cism ˈskep-tə-ˌsiz-əm 

: an attitude of doubt