as in skeptic
a person who is always ready to doubt or question the truth or existence of something
a hardheaded unbeliever who demanded to see concrete evidence of any alleged UFO activity
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Recent Examples of unbeliever
No one ever converted an unbeliever with harshness, condemnation, and threats of hell.
—
Sophia A. Nelson, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
An app called Krishna, for example, has already advised killing unbelievers and supporting India's ruling party.
—Scott Shapiro, WIRED, 8 Jan. 2024
To have reservations about something that is treated as sacrosanct is to be an unbeliever, or worse, a heretic, and thus someone to be cast out.
—Ian Buruma, Harper's Magazine, 2 June 2023
As director of Number 10’s in-house think-tank, the Policy Unit, the unbeliever in question has hitherto been an obscure figure in Boris Johnson’s high command, albeit an important one.
—The Economist, 27 June 2020
For me, this person is always an unbeliever and the strain of making him see is considerable.
—Stephen Mirarchi, National Review, 28 Dec. 2019
The isolated world of Appalachian snake handlers is the setting for this drama about a pastor’s daughter who falls in love with an unbeliever.
—Cary Darling |, Houston Chronicle, 8 Aug. 2019
The philosophe wondered what was left to unbelievers in the way of ethical guidelines.
—Dan Hofstadter, WSJ, 15 Feb. 2019
Decree defeat, humiliation and unbelief to the unbelievers.
—Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2018
Sophia A. Nelson, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
An app called Krishna, for example, has already advised killing unbelievers and supporting India's ruling party.
—Scott Shapiro, WIRED, 8 Jan. 2024
To have reservations about something that is treated as sacrosanct is to be an unbeliever, or worse, a heretic, and thus someone to be cast out.
—Ian Buruma, Harper's Magazine, 2 June 2023
As director of Number 10’s in-house think-tank, the Policy Unit, the unbeliever in question has hitherto been an obscure figure in Boris Johnson’s high command, albeit an important one.
—The Economist, 27 June 2020
For me, this person is always an unbeliever and the strain of making him see is considerable.
—Stephen Mirarchi, National Review, 28 Dec. 2019
The isolated world of Appalachian snake handlers is the setting for this drama about a pastor’s daughter who falls in love with an unbeliever.
—Cary Darling |, Houston Chronicle, 8 Aug. 2019
The philosophe wondered what was left to unbelievers in the way of ethical guidelines.
—Dan Hofstadter, WSJ, 15 Feb. 2019
Decree defeat, humiliation and unbelief to the unbelievers.
—Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unbeliever
skeptic
Noun
-
From pies and cookies to cakes and croissants, Publix is giving pumpkin fans (and even pumpkin skeptics) plenty to swoon over this season.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Harold belongs to a recognizable genre of social skeptic who has popped up in the past few years.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unbeliever.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unbeliever. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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