Synonyms of skeptical

skeptical

adjective

ˈskep-ti-kəl 

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

• suspicious
• cautious
• incredulous
• careful
• wary
• doubting
• questioning
• distrustful
• disbelieving
• mistrustful
• unbelieving
• cynical
• show-me
• negativistic
• paranoid
• curious
• suspecting
• leery
• paranoidal
• puzzled
• unsure
• quizzical
• experienced
• unconvinced
• hesitant
• watchful
• critical
• inquisitive
• leary
• guarded
• uncertain
• gun-shy
• sophisticated
• nosey
• undecided
• worldly
• nosy
• knowing
• worldly-wise
• undetermined
• inquiring
• unsettled
• snoopy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• credulous
• gullible
• uncritical
• naive
• naïve
• trusting
• trustful
• unquestioning
• confident
• unsophisticated
• positive
• sure
• certain
• green
• simple
• ingenuous
• innocent
• wide-eyed
• unknowing
• unworldly
• simpleminded
• inexperienced
• idealistic
• gullable
• impractical
• raw
• childlike
• callow
• deceived
• careless
• unsuspecting
• unsuspicious
• unwary
• heedless
• duped
• tricked
• beguiled
• gulled

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unsure
• suspicious
• doubtful
• uncertain
• unconvinced
• dubious
• unsettled
• distrustful
• mistrustful
• hesitant
• undecided
• ambivalent
• on the fence
• conflicted
• hinky
• trustless
• equivocal
• insecure
• diffident
• irresolute
• indecisive
• wavering
• vacillating
• halting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• positive
• certain
• sure
• convinced
• confident
• sanguine
• assured
• decisive
• determined
• resolute
• self-assured

Examples of skeptical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Key Background In the past, experts have been skeptical of whether vice presidential picks have much influence on an election’s outcome, but with November's race expected to be highly contested, even small boosts from vice presidential picks could be game changers. —Molly Bohannon, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

Yet from the start, some resettlement experts were skeptical of Welcome Corps. —Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Sep. 2024

Verify information, ask for proof and be skeptical of any deal that sounds too good to be true. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2024

Also be skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true — and always verify URLs before sharing any personal information, says Olga Svistunova, security expert at Kaspersky. —Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024