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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Recent Examples of skeptical
The agreement was relatively uncontroversial then, but when the time rolled around for the Danish parliament to officially ratify the treaty, this past June, Danes were feeling a lot more skeptical.
—
Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Perhaps no stock in the group shows how investors have turned skeptical about lavish AI spending more than Meta.
—Jeran Wittenstein, Fortune, 11 Jan. 2026
Some of the polling on the Venezuela operations suggest that people are very skeptical about it.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
Netflix shareholders have been skeptical about the deal for months.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skeptical
Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Perhaps no stock in the group shows how investors have turned skeptical about lavish AI spending more than Meta.
—Jeran Wittenstein, Fortune, 11 Jan. 2026
Some of the polling on the Venezuela operations suggest that people are very skeptical about it.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
Netflix shareholders have been skeptical about the deal for months.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for skeptical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skeptical
Adjective
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The committee has called on state officials to testify in closed-door, transcribed interviews, while requesting suspicious activity reports from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, along with a staff-level briefing from the Justice Department.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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When the publication of his article is followed by the suspicious suicide of Dale Washberg, Lee follows a trail of breadcrumbs to find out the truth.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Ballard said his clients in the country at the time were unsure of what to do in the immediate aftermath of Maduro's capture.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
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Maduro’s supporters gathered throughout the city, many bearing arms, but seemed unsure of what to do next.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But trading volumes remain low, with investors remaining cautious about the impact of lower oil prices, government spending cuts, and the outlook for corporate earnings.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
14 Jan. 2026
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But once the horrible pol is gone, stronger but more cautious candidates emerge.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The Magic will continue to need more of the same from Richardson as the team operates without All-Defensive guard Jalen Suggs, who was ruled out of Tuesday’s contest at Washington after previously being listed as doubtful on the team’s initial injury report due to a right knee Grade 1 MCL bruise.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
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Fowler and Williams disappointed this season, making a return to Dallas feel doubtful.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Warriors coach Steve Kerr was incredulous that a foul was called in a late-game situation such as that.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
20 Dec. 2025
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Advocates were incredulous and disappointed, as was DeSilva’s family who was under the impression the deal would be more substantive.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The chances of the ballot measure passing in November are uncertain, given the potential for enormous spending on campaigns to stop the effort.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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Investors flocked to it for stability during uncertain times.—
Sharon Wu,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Jan. 2026
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These soft and chewy treats are the result of dozens of careful recipe tests.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Hamilton, wary of France’s descent into chaos and its aggressive wars, contended that treaties are contracts with specific regimes, not eternal bonds irrespective of change.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
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As measles outbreaks flared up across the US last year, causing a record number of cases, Scott Thorpe kept a wary eye on Spartanburg County, South Carolina.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skeptical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skeptical. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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