quizzical

adjective

quiz·​zi·​cal ˈkwi-zi-kəl 

1

: comically quaint

a quizzical old man

2

: mildly teasing or mocking

a quizzical remark

3

: expressive of puzzlement, curiosity, or disbelief

raised a quizzical eyebrow

quizzicality

ˌkwi-zə-ˈka-lə-tē 

noun

quizzically

ˈkwi-zi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of quizzical

• joking
• sarcastic
• kidding
• mocking
• bantering
• jesting
• razzing

Examples of quizzical in a Sentence

He gave me a quizzical look.

There was a quizzical expression on his face.

She raised a quizzical eyebrow when she saw what he was wearing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Lane was gifted with that kind of face and personality, too, replete with diagonal eyebrows that join his cheekbones in a quizzical demeanor that, throughout his career, has signaled the joys of life. —Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026

There won’t be any TikTok dances near Amen Corner, nor quizzical reels filmed with Jason Kelce under the Big Oak. —Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 6 Apr. 2026

Right from his beginnings with the Talking Heads, Byrne’s quizzical temperament has fueled a determination both to never resist change and to remain open to all kinds of external stimuli. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026

When the film won, many in the media room at BAFTA turned to each other with a quizzical look. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 22 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for quizzical

• physical
• astrophysical
• biophysical
• geophysical
• metaphysical
• psychophysical
• thermophysical
• nonphysical

Kids Definition

quizzical

adjective

quiz·​zi·​cal ˈkwiz-i-kəl 

1

: teasing in a good-natured way

2

a

: showing doubt in a good-natured way

b

: showing puzzlement or curiosity

quizzically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb