credulous
adjective
Did you know?
The cred in credulous is from Latin credere, meaning “to believe” or “to trust.” Credulous describes people who would be wise to be a bit more skeptical, or things that ought to be approached with some skepticism. The word has a useful opposite in the term incredulous, which often describes something that shows or suggests one’s lack of belief (“listening with an incredulous smile”), or someone who cannot or will not believe something, as in “an outrageous statement that left them incredulous.” (You’ll do well not to confuse incredulous with incredible.)
Examples of credulous in a Sentence
Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
But no one outside of the most credulous corners of the media are buying it.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
It is loosely established that Evy is the skeptical Scully to Justin’s credulous Mulder, but Evy has a hard time explaining away the mysterious sounds encountered in a series of audio clips sent to the podcast by an anonymous email address.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 25 Jan. 2026
The government’s offers of dialogue with the protesters ring hollow as it is meant as a pressure valve internationally—for credulous Westerners who believe Iran’s political system is capable of reform—and domestically.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for credulous
Cite this Entry
“Credulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/credulous. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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credulous
adjective
