1
as in suspicious
inclined to doubt or question claims
it's good to be skeptical about what you see on TV
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2
as in unsure
not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something
I'm a little skeptical of this low bid, since it's way below what the other contractors said that they would charge
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Recent Examples of skeptical
At first, the reaction to the recipe was skeptical to negative.
—
Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025
But Howell was highly skeptical of those defenses and only grew more frustrated as Lawson refused to answer direct questions about the purpose of the executive order.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2025
Harrison Ford forged an archetype: the skeptical rogue, a smirk king, He Who Shot First.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025
Kaleo Ministries’ new project earned some praise from the zoning board, whose members lauded the efforts of Diaz and the church group but were also skeptical of its financial resources and worried about its lax code compliance.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skeptical
Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025
But Howell was highly skeptical of those defenses and only grew more frustrated as Lawson refused to answer direct questions about the purpose of the executive order.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2025
Harrison Ford forged an archetype: the skeptical rogue, a smirk king, He Who Shot First.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025
Kaleo Ministries’ new project earned some praise from the zoning board, whose members lauded the efforts of Diaz and the church group but were also skeptical of its financial resources and worried about its lax code compliance.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skeptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skeptical
Adjective
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However, police did not treat Griffin's death as suspicious.—
Michael Nied,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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So when head vampire Remmick (Jack O'Connell) and his two recent white recruits originally show up, Smoke and Stack are suspicious enough of their motives to turn them away.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Overall, researchers are unsure why diabetes increases the risk of ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
18 Apr. 2025
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Some are unsure if their application is still valid.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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So for a couple of reasons, the Red Sox are playing it cautious with Anthony, even with the latest foot injury, undoubtedly to the frustration of most of their fan base.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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While public support for cannabis legalization has grown, recent events indicate a more cautious approach.—
Matt Rozo,
Mercury News,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But the official was doubtful there were many who would want to take the job at a Pentagon that is in such disarray.—
Quil Lawrence,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2025
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The winner’s kids were equally doubtful, the man told lottery officials, so the man scanned the ticket to prove his million-dollar win was real.—
Kate Linderman,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Butler was incredulous that Curry – harassed by Houston’s long defenders such as Amen Thompson during a three-point, 1-of-10 shooting night – did not get more foul calls.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
7 Apr. 2025
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But when President Donald Trump announced an additional 34% universal tariff on Chinese goods on April 2, Zou, who has been exporting to the United States for more than a decade, was incredulous.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Neutral weather conditions bring uncertain weather risks An ENSO-neutral pattern can bring drier-than-normal weather, or drought conditions could persist in certain regions.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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Across the subsequent five years, there have only been two occasions when Soucek’s future seemed uncertain.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Be careful not to let in too much moisture to avoid any mildew or mold developing on your mattress.—
Terry Baddoo,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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Yet Schlossberg is careful to note that May did not shadow-direct the movie during production.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The study, by the Kearney Consumer Institute, found that consumers are wary of spending.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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Europe is wary of sleepwalking back into the trap of reliance on Russian energy resources that caused an energy crisis at the outset of the 2022 invasion and mounting speculation that Europe might reopen its taps has sparked pushback from key European voices.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skeptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skeptical. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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