skeptical

adjective

skep·​ti·​cal ˈskep-ti-kəl How to pronounce skeptical (audio)
: relating to, characteristic of, or marked by skepticism
a skeptical listener
skeptically adverb

Examples of skeptical in a Sentence

She's highly skeptical of the researchers' claims. He says he can win, but I remain skeptical. When I said I'd finished my homework early, Mom looked skeptical.
Recent Examples on the Web The singer is respectfully skeptical, though tempted, and the melancholy tone and winding melody add heartbreaking tension to the encounter. Tom Roland, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2024 As for the companies’ pledge to divest enough stores in enough communities to preserve competition, the FTC is right to be skeptical. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024 The release of the trailer, last week, aroused divergent reactions: while many were skeptical, plenty of others rushed to the prediction markets to make multimillion-dollar bets. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2024 Grassley's always prided himself on the work of the Judiciary Committee being bipartisan and has been skeptical of Big Tech. Maria Curi, Axios, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for skeptical 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skeptical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1639, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of skeptical was in 1639

Dictionary Entries Near skeptical

Cite this Entry

“Skeptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skeptical. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

skeptical

adjective
skep·​ti·​cal ˈskep-ti-kəl How to pronounce skeptical (audio)
: relating to or marked by doubt
skeptically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on skeptical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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