skepticism

noun

ˈskep-tə-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce skepticism (audio)
Definition of skepticismnext
as in doubt
a feeling or attitude that one does not know the truth, truthfulness, or trustworthiness of someone or something our alibi was met with skepticism at first, but we gradually convinced them of the truth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun skepticism differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of skepticism are doubt, dubiety, mistrust, suspicion, and uncertainty. While all these words mean "lack of sureness about someone or something," skepticism implies unwillingness to believe without conclusive evidence.

an economic forecast greeted with skepticism

In what contexts can doubt take the place of skepticism?

In some situations, the words doubt and skepticism are roughly equivalent. However, doubt suggests both uncertainty and inability to make a decision.

plagued by doubts as to what to do

When is it sensible to use dubiety instead of skepticism?

The meanings of dubiety and skepticism largely overlap; however, dubiety stresses a wavering between conclusions.

felt some dubiety about its practicality

When might mistrust be a better fit than skepticism?

While the synonyms mistrust and skepticism are close in meaning, mistrust implies a genuine doubt based upon suspicion.

had a great mistrust of doctors

When could suspicion be used to replace skepticism?

The words suspicion and skepticism can be used in similar contexts, but suspicion stresses lack of faith in the truth, reality, fairness, or reliability of something or someone.

regarded the stranger with suspicion

Where would uncertainty be a reasonable alternative to skepticism?

While in some cases nearly identical to skepticism, uncertainty may range from a falling short of certainty to an almost complete lack of conviction or knowledge especially about an outcome or result.

assumed the role of manager without hesitation or uncertainty

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of skepticism John McEnroe, never shy with an opinion, has expressed skepticism about pickleball — yet even his tennis academy on Randall’s Island in New York City has converted five existing tennis courts to 12 indoor pickleball courts. —Stefan Boyland, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2025 Montana also expressed skepticism about many of the broader claims surrounding vibration therapy, noting that few are backed by robust evidence. —Dwyer Frame, People.com, 12 July 2025 Last week, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed skepticism about the possibility of Ovidio Guzman Lopez reaching a plea deal. —Christine Fernando, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2025 Many in Trump's cabinet have previously expressed concern over the implications of an overly strong dollar, and skepticism regarding its status as the world's reserve currency. —Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for skepticism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skepticism
  1. doubt
  2. suspicion
  3. uncertainty
  4. distrust
Noun
  • There is no doubt that Bayern is going to make another offer for the Liverpool forward.
    — Manuel Veth, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • The primary reason Solomon cited for his doubts is that the meteorites formed much earlier than the best estimates for the ages of rocks now on Mercury’s surface.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
Definition of doubt
Noun
  • Brad confirms Sophie’s suspicions, at which point Sophie confronts Margo.
    — Nicole Briese, People.com, 23 July 2025
  • Their suspicions persist despite the Department of Justice releasing a memo July 7 that tried to close the book on the Epstein saga.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 23 July 2025
Definition of suspicion
Noun
  • Some of our most important protections have been implemented while acknowledging scientific uncertainty.
    — David Michaels, The Atlantic, 20 July 2025
  • The QAnon movement continues to evolve, even as its central figure hedges and hesitates, showing how potent myths can be in times of uncertainty.
    — Art Jipson, The Conversation, 19 July 2025
Definition of uncertainty
Noun
  • Many of the former at one time leveraged the distrust many Americans feel toward our government to gain attention and increase their standing in MAGA’s hierarchy by hyping the Epstein conspiracy.
    — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 17 July 2025
  • To achieve that goal, China will need to overcome several obstacles, including bottlenecks in the semiconductor industry, winning the talent wars when many AI researchers will prefer to work for labs in the U.S. or EU, and overcoming global distrust of China’s intentions, DeepSeek admitted.
    — Drew Bernstein, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Definition of distrust

Browse Nearby Words

skeptically
skepticism
skeptics
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Cite this Entry

“Skepticism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skepticism. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on skepticism

Nglish: Translation of skepticism for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about skepticism

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