1
as in suspicious
inclined to doubt or question claims
it's good to be skeptical about what you see on TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of skeptical
But many experts are skeptical of policies aimed at boosting birth rates.
—
Sarah McCammon, NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
As the team began to win, neighbors who had been skeptical of this odd bunch gathered to watch.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2025
Young people have been skeptical of Israel’s actions from the outset, but the public at large has really shifted on the war over the past year.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The people who came into the year loving him seem to remain convicted, and the people who were skeptical have found more reason to be skeptical.
—Nick Suss, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skeptical
Sarah McCammon, NPR, 27 Oct. 2025
As the team began to win, neighbors who had been skeptical of this odd bunch gathered to watch.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 26 Oct. 2025
Young people have been skeptical of Israel’s actions from the outset, but the public at large has really shifted on the war over the past year.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
The people who came into the year loving him seem to remain convicted, and the people who were skeptical have found more reason to be skeptical.
—Nick Suss, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for skeptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skeptical
Adjective
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Some impersonated tax officers to frighten British pensioners into draining their life savings into suspicious bank accounts; others peddled irresistible student loan offers to American high schoolers.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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Police said officers were dispatched and arrived within two minutes of the 911 call — first reported as a suspicious event and later upgraded to a burglary in progress — and that the Criminal Investigations Bureau dedicated more than 100 investigative hours to identifying those involved.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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At 25, when half her friends ran off to marry well and the other half were hell-bent on climbing the corporate ladder, Bizu found herself in the middle, unsure whether to pursue a boyfriend or a business plan.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
28 Oct. 2025
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Ron explains that the tumor started growing back in 2018 and past doctors were unsure about how to approach such a challenging facial reconstruction.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
To be sure, Wall Street overall is bullish on stocks, with many of the big firms ditching their cautious tones and urging investors not to bet against the market.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
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Today, she is classified as having No Evidence of Disease (NED), meaning all detectable signs and symptoms of cancer are gone, a hopeful yet cautious place.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Tackle Josh Simmons is out due to a personal matter, while guard Trey Smith is doubtful with a back injury.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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According to the initial player availability report, Horned Frogs offensive lineman Cade Bennett, wide receiver Ed Small and running back Jeremy Payne are all listed as doubtful.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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
Adjective
-
Akheem Mesidor’s status uncertain Those wanting to know more about Hurricanes edge rusher Akheem Mesidor’s status for Saturday’s game against Stanford will have to wait a little bit longer.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
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Major deals now feature 20-30 year funding horizons—extraordinary bets on technologies whose commercial viability five years from now remains uncertain.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This careful tiptoeing is probably because the scissor artwork was never meant to be sold at a wider scale.—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
24 Oct. 2025
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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His playing has now come to be an omen of danger, so visitors who hear drums playing should be wary.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
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The new real estate series sees the Scott twins help wary buyers grapple with commitment issues to possibly make the biggest purchase of their lives.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skeptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skeptical. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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