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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skeptical
Both the United States and Israel under different governments have seemed very skeptical of that.
—
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 22 June 2025
The most prominent of these is Tucker Carlson, whose skeptical questioning of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) during a long interview went viral in recent days.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 21 June 2025
Neither candidate completely ruled out Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposal to eliminate property taxes, though both seemed skeptical.
—Steven Lemongello, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025
When Miramar native Evans St. Fort opened St. Fort’s Funeral Home in North Miami Beach in 2003, clients were skeptical of a funeral director still in his 20s.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for skeptical
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 22 June 2025
The most prominent of these is Tucker Carlson, whose skeptical questioning of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) during a long interview went viral in recent days.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 21 June 2025
Neither candidate completely ruled out Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposal to eliminate property taxes, though both seemed skeptical.
—Steven Lemongello, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2025
When Miramar native Evans St. Fort opened St. Fort’s Funeral Home in North Miami Beach in 2003, clients were skeptical of a funeral director still in his 20s.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for skeptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skeptical
Adjective
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Avoid suspicious links and install strong antivirus protection: Crocodilus spreads through deceptive ads and fake app links.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2025
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The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but state fire officials said Wednesday a preliminary investigation found no suspicious cause.—
Todd Prussman,
Boston Herald,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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The outfit is unsure about the root cause of the problem and has launched an investigation to prevent a similar incident.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
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Often, players look unsure of team-mates’ positions and can consequently concede possession in dangerous situations.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
Adjective
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The prospect of higher inflation even as present data looks mild has led to a staredown between the Fed, which has advocated for a cautious approach on cutting interest rates in case tariffs do worsen inflation, and Trump, who has aggressively called for big cuts.—
Derek Saul,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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However, be cautious, as the sand and bits of material can fly out with considerable force.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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But some fear Newsom might even veto the $110 million, although this seems doubtful, given the public anger that could generate.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2025
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Whether Baghdad would risk firing these at intruding IAF jets that are not actively attacking targets on its territory is doubtful, given the crushing retaliation doing so would likely incur.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
Jens Stoltenberg, who was then secretary-general, was incredulous.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
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Researchers have just confirmed what could be the largest leak ever, with an almost incredulous 16 billion login credentials, including passwords, exposed.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Now in private practice as co-head of Morrison Foerster’s Securities + Derivatives Regulatory Solutions team and a partner in the firm’s Capital Markets and Broker-Dealer Compliance + Regulation practice groups, Dahiya is in a unique position to help clients navigate complex and uncertain terrain.—
Liane Jackson,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
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Iran’s brief but brutal war with Israel has left its theocratic regime facing an uncertain future.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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While the latest inflation and jobs market reports showed that any disruption caused by tariffs has so far been minor, the Fed is clearly being careful about what could happen in the coming weeks and months.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
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For most, wealth results from years of hard work, careful planning, and disciplined saving.—
Georgette Virgo,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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But despite that backing, most Americans are wary of the consequences.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
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Many aides are very wary of getting ahead of Trump given his unpredictability.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skeptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skeptical. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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