incredulous

adjective

in·​cred·​u·​lous (ˌ)in-ˈkre-jə-ləs How to pronounce incredulous (audio)
-dyə-ləs
1
: unwilling to admit or accept what is offered as true : not credulous : skeptical
2
: expressing incredulity
an incredulous stare
3
incredulously adverb
Can incredulous mean 'incredible'?: Usage Guide

Sense 3 was revived in the 20th century after a couple of centuries of disuse. Although it is a sense with good literary precedent—among others Shakespeare used it—it is widely regarded as an error resulting from confusion with incredible, and its occurrence in published writing is rare.

Examples of incredulous in a Sentence

"Afraid not." I made an expression to show that I was as incredulous about this as he was. Bill Bryson, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, 1999
A tweed-encased fogey, he's allergic to technology, persnickety about language, and incredulous that anyone could object to his incessant smoking. John Powers, Vogue, March 1998
He was greeted with incredulous laughter. Robert M. Hutchins, Center Magazine, September 1968
… no obstacle, no incredulous or unsafe circumstance … William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, 1602
She listened to his explanation with an incredulous smile. He was incredulous at the news. Many people were incredulous that such a small fire could have caused so much damage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On her face is something halfway between a grimace and an incredulous smile—a facial expression that many Harris supporters likely recognize as a universal, exasperated response to a Trump rant. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2024 In the interim, Gore made another call to an incredulous Bush to retract his concession. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024 The New Orleans rapper was shirtless in both photos, sporting an incredulous expression in the first and an angry scowl in the second. Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 11 Sep. 2024 Many of the letter writers were incredulous, insisting that tips were actually tax-free gifts. Joseph Thorndike, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for incredulous 

Word History

Etymology

Latin incredulus, from in- + credulus credulous

First Known Use

circa 1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of incredulous was circa 1562

Dictionary Entries Near incredulous

Cite this Entry

“Incredulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incredulous. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

incredulous

adjective
in·​cred·​u·​lous (ˈ)in-ˈkrej-ə-ləs How to pronounce incredulous (audio)
: feeling or showing an inability to believe something : skeptical
listened with an incredulous smile
incredulously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on incredulous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!