or scep·ti·cal
inclined to skepticism; having an attitude of doubt: a skeptical young woman who will question whatever you say. … showing doubt: a skeptical smile. denying or questioning the tenets of a religion: a skeptical approach to the nature of miracles.
How do you use skeptical?
Skeptical sentence example
- She turned in time to see Mrs. …
- The doctors still said they expected him to wake up any day, but Carmen was skeptical about how much they believed it. …
- Molly appeared skeptical while the others exchanged knowing looks with each other. …
- His expression was skeptical .
What is the word Sceptical mean?
adjective. not convinced that something is true; doubtful. tending to mistrust people, ideas, etc, in general. of or relating to sceptics; sceptic.
What is the difference between skeptic and cynic?
The Associated Press Stylebook has a simple differentiation: “A skeptic is a doubter. A cynic is a disbeliever.” The next step after “cynicism” is becoming “jaded.” Where “cynics” might be sneering and actively doubting something, people who are “jaded” are just so exhausted that they have become apathetic.
Is it good to be skeptical?
Being skeptical helps encourage us to hit pause on just believing in something because we hear or see it. Rather, pursuing knowledge through systematic doubt. It’s a key part of critical thinking. … Our beliefs, whatever they are, have no bearing on the facts of the world around us.
What’s the opposite of cynical?
Antonyms: Credulous,gullible,hopeful,optimistic,trustful,unskeptical,unsuspecting (etc.)
What do you call a Sceptical person?
Words related to skeptic
doubter, questioner, agnostic, pessimist, dissenter, cynic, infidel, misanthrope, unbeliever, atheist, heretic, apostate, nihilist, heathen, freethinker, pagan, rationalist, materialist, scoffer, disbeliever.
What makes a person skeptical?
A skeptic is a person who doesn’t believe something is true unless they see evidence. As a skeptic, you refuse to believe your sister saw a ghost — after all, she can’t prove it. Skeptics are doubters — they need to see proof before they will believe.
Who is a skeptical person?
: a person who questions or doubts something (such as a claim or statement) : a person who often questions or doubts things. See the full definition for skeptic in the English Language Learners Dictionary. skeptic. noun. skep·tic | ˈskep-tik
What is an example of skeptical?
The sales pitch seemed too good to be true, so he was skeptical. The teacher was skeptical when Timmy told her the dog ate his homework. After the politician said he would not raise taxes, the voters were skeptical. John was skeptical when the television ad said the cleaner would take out all stains.
What is the root of skeptical?
The words skeptic and skepticism come from an ancient Greek verb that meant “to inquire.” Etymologically, then, a skeptic is an inquirer. … The first great skeptical philosopher of the ancient world was Pyrrho of Elis (circa 310–270 B.C.).
Is skeptical a feeling?
A Deeper Look At Feeling Skeptical
APA Dictionary defines skepticism as: “noun. an attitude of questioning, disbelief, or doubt.” Sooo ya, it’s safe to say that when we are feeling skeptical, we’ve got a million question marks over our heads.
Is skeptical a character trait?
A few signs that a person has the skeptical personality trait: They don’t take things at face value. They tend to look for the story behind the story to find out what’s really going on. They ask a lot of questions and follow up on any answers that they don’t understand or which don’t seem quite right.
What is the best synonyms for skeptical?
synonyms for skeptical
- doubtful.
- dubious.
- incredulous.
- mistrustful.
- suspicious.
- agnostic.
- cynical.
- doubting.
Is skeptical in a sentence?
Examples of skeptical in a Sentence
She’s highly skeptical of the researchers’ claims. He says he can win, but I remain skeptical. When I said I’d finished my homework early, Mom looked skeptical.
Why is skepticism bad?
Skepticism is a poor proxy for truth-tracking and humility. It gets us half of truth-tracking (rejecting noise), and it gets us some of humility (questioning and doubt). What it doesn’t get us is signal with degrees of belief or — more ambitiously — truth in an uncertain world.
How do I stop being so skeptical?
Here are 8 helpful tips for getting rid of your skepticism
- 1: Pinpoint your insecurities, and try to notice the ones that are strongest. …
- 2: Find a hobby or a lot more time for a hobby you already have in place. …
- 3: Identify your accomplishments. …
- 4: Help other people. …
- 5: Face your fears. …
- 6: Take a different view on failure.
What are the types of skepticism?
Five types of skepticism
- Philosophical skepticism. …
- Voltairian skepticism. …
- Scientific skepticism. …
- Dogmatic skepticism. …
- Nihilistic skepticism. …
- Notes. …
- Footnotes.
What do you call someone that questions everything?
One who questions everything : Cynic.
What is strong vocabulary?
From action words to descriptive words and beyond, a strong vocabulary facilitates precise writing and helps you avoid vague words. As you broaden your range of vocabulary, you become better able to describe specific settings, emotions, and ideas.
What is the difference between doubt and skepticism?
Doubt approaches the things we don’t understand with humility, seeking to first listen rather than to speak. Skepticism approaches them with arrogance, dictating belief on its own terms rather than hearing from God on His. Doubt recognizes the limits of my own reason.
Is cynical a bad word?
A person who is cynical generally has a very bad outlook on life, and has very little faith in others. A person who is skeptical is more likely to put in the appropriate research before believing what they are told.
Is cynical the same as selfish?
is that selfish is holding one’s self-interest as the standard for decision making while cynical is of or relating to the cynics, a sect of ancient greek philosophers who believed virtue to be the only good and self-control to be the only means of achieving virtue.
Is cynical a negative word?
Expressing jaded or scornful skepticism or negativity. Cynical laughter. Negative or pessimistic, as from world-weariness.