1
Core quality
Doubtful, questioning, or not easily convinced without sufficient evidence.
Example
Reviewers remained skeptical until the result was replicated.
skeptical
/ˈskeptɪkəl/ · SKEP-tih-kuladjective
Doubtful, questioning, or not easily convinced without sufficient evidence.
Use skeptical to express this relationship precisely: doubtful, questioning, or not easily convinced without sufficient evidence.
What skeptical Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
She is skeptical of claims based on a single anecdote.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
A skeptical reader asks what evidence could disprove the argument.
Use skeptical Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
Reviewers remained skeptical until the result was replicated.
She is skeptical of claims based on a single anecdote.
A skeptical reader asks what evidence could disprove the argument.
Precision Matters
Skeptical overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
skeptical
vs.Means doubtful, questioning, or not easily convinced without sufficient evidence.
tenuous
Means weak, slight, or insufficiently supported.
skeptical
vs.Means doubtful, questioning, or not easily convinced without sufficient evidence.
credulous
Means too ready to believe claims and therefore easily deceived.
skeptical
vs.Means doubtful, questioning, or not easily convinced without sufficient evidence.
tentative
Means provisional, hesitant, or not yet certain, fixed, or fully developed.
skeptical
vs.Means doubtful, questioning, or not easily convinced without sufficient evidence.
validate
Means support the truth, accuracy, or value of something.
Test skeptical in Context
The panel doubts the claim and requires stronger evidence.
1
Because the extraordinary claim rested on one unverified report, the panel remained ___.