incredulous

adjective

in·​cred·​u·​lous (ˌ)in-ˈkre-jə-ləs 

-dyə-ləs

1

: unwilling to admit or accept what is offered as true : not credulous : skeptical

Many people were incredulous that such a small fire could have caused so much damage.

Although Marco's words provided his incredulous readers with their first account of the island nation, his rendering was beset by imprecision, for he never visited it.

—Laurence Bergreen

2

: expressing incredulity

an incredulous stare/look

I listened to their explanation with an incredulous smile.

Incredulous outcries such as "You've got to be kidding," … and, "This must be a bad dream" …

—Barbara S. Cain

3

nonstandard : incredible sense 1

incredulously adverb

We listened incredulously as they explained their decision.

Can incredulous mean 'incredible'?: Usage Guide

Sense 3 was revived in the 20th century after a couple of centuries of disuse. Although it is a sense with good literary precedent—among others Shakespeare used it—it is widely regarded as an error resulting from confusion with incredible, and its occurrence in published writing is rare.

Synonyms of incredulous

• skeptical
• suspicious
• cautious
• disbelieving

Examples of incredulous in a Sentence

"Afraid not." I made an expression to show that I was as incredulous about this as he was. —Bill Bryson, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, 1999

A tweed-encased fogey, he's allergic to technology, persnickety about language, and incredulous that anyone could object to his incessant smoking. —John Powers, Vogue, March 1998

He was greeted with incredulous laughter. —Robert M. Hutchins, Center Magazine, September 1968

… no obstacle, no incredulous or unsafe circumstance … —William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, 1602

She listened to his explanation with an incredulous smile.

He was incredulous at the news.

Many people were incredulous that such a small fire could have caused so much damage.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Origin of the Moscow Mule The Moscow Mule has an incredulous origin story. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2025

The prospect of losing at least $170 million in annual revenue would be taken much more seriously than angry, incredulous letters to the editor. —U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2025

The host, the longtime hip-hop radio personality Ebro Darden, fifty, was incredulous. —Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2025

Play-by-play announcer Chris Myers seemed a bit incredulous on the Fox broadcast. —Joseph Person, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin incredulus, from in- + credulus credulous

First Known Use

circa 1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for incredulous

• credulous
• sedulous

Kids Definition

incredulous

adjective

in·​cred·​u·​lous (ˈ)in-ˈkrej-ə-ləs 

: feeling or showing an inability to believe something : skeptical

listened with an incredulous smile

incredulously adverb