The meaning of Sceptical

adjective

Believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.

Usage examples:

He was brutally cynical and hardened to every sob story under the sun

Believing the worst of human nature and motives

adjective

Not trusting or respecting the goodness of other people and their actions, but believing that people are interested only in themselves

Usage examples:

Listening to politicians for too long can make you cynical., she’s become cynical about men., he’s …

noun

A person who expects or is excessively ready to accept failure.

Usage examples:

It also appeals to defeatists, cynics, and worldly-wise men who are not prepared to try to change t…

adjective

Demonstrating expectation or acceptance of failure.

Usage examples:

We have a duty not to be so defeatist

adjective

Having no hope and expecting to fail

Usage examples:

Being defeatist will get us nowhere., he's got such a defeatist attitude., i can't believe it - you…

adjective

Feeling or expressing disbelief.

Usage examples:

The disbelieving look in her eyes

verb

Be unable to believe.

Usage examples:

He seemed to disbelieve her

adjective

Feeling or showing distrust of someone or something.

Usage examples:

I have grown up to be distrustful of men

adjective

Not trusting someone or something

Usage examples:

They tend to be distrustful of outsiders., large sections of britain's poorest communities are alie…

adjective

Feeling uncertain about something.

Usage examples:

He looked doubtful, but gave a nod

adjective

Uncertain or unlikely

Usage examples:

[ + (that) clause ] it was doubtful (that) the money would ever be found., she gave me a long, doub…

adjective

Used to describe debts or accounts that are unlikely to be paid

Usage examples:

The company has established an allowance for doubtful accounts based on the credit risk of specific…

adjective

Expressing or feeling uncertainty or lack of conviction; sceptical.

Usage examples:

Some doubting voices were raised over the price

verb

Feel uncertain about.

Usage examples:

I doubt my ability to do the job

verb

Present participle of doubt

Usage examples:

I doubt whether/if i can finish the work on time., [ + that ] they had begun to doubt that it could…

adjective

Hesitating or doubting.

Usage examples:

I was rather dubious about the whole idea

adjective

Probably not true or not completely true; doubtful

Usage examples:

The team had the dubious distinction of ranking 31st in the league., a dubious character

adjective

Tentative, unsure, or slow in acting or speaking.

Usage examples:

Clients are hesitant about buying

adjective

If you are hesitant, you do not do something immediately or quickly because you are nervous or not certain

Usage examples:

You seemed a bit hesitant about recommending that restaurant - is something wrong with it?, she gav…

adjective

(of a person or their manner) unwilling or unable to believe something.

Usage examples:

An incredulous gasp

adjective

Not wanting or not able to believe, and usually showing this

Usage examples:

"why am i here?" the witness responded in an incredulous tone.

noun

The refusal or inability to accept something as true; misbelief; an instance of this.

adjective

Holding a false belief; heretical, unorthodox.

adjective

Not believing; sceptical; = "disbelieving [adjective]".

adjective

Lacking in trust; suspicious.

Usage examples:

He wondered if he had been unduly mistrustful of her

adjective

Having doubts about the honesty or abilities of someone

Usage examples:

Voters are bound to be mistrustful of a government that has broken so many promises.

adjective

Tending to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen.

Usage examples:

He was pessimistic about the prospects

adjective

Thinking that bad things are more likely to happen or emphasizing the bad part of a situation

Usage examples:

The tone of the meeting was very pessimistic., the doctors are pessimistic (= not hopeful) about hi…

noun

The action of asking someone questions, especially in an official context.

Usage examples:

The young lieutenant escorted us to the barracks for questioning

adjective

Showing an interest in learning new things.

Usage examples:

The questioning mind of a child

verb

Ask (someone) questions, especially in an official context.

Usage examples:

Four men were being questioned about the killings

adjective

Contemptuously ridiculing or mocking someone or something.

Usage examples:

A scoffing cabin crew tells her there's no shower on the plane

noun

Contemptuous ridicule or mockery.

Usage examples:

He had to overcome the scoffing of theoretical physicists

verb

Speak to someone or about something in a scornfully derisive or mocking way.

Usage examples:

Patrick professed to scoff at soppy love scenes in films

adjective

Having or showing a cautious distrust of someone or something.

Usage examples:

He was suspicious of her motives

adjective

Not certain that something is true or can be relied on or trusted.

Usage examples:

Parisians remain unconvinced that the project will be approved