Skeptical means you will not believe a claim until somebody shows you proof. It is the face your friend makes when you say the traffic was why you are an hour late.
British writing spells it sceptical and American writing skeptical; it is one word with two coats. It takes ABOUT or OF: skeptical about the plan, skeptical of his motives. Do not swap it for cynical — a skeptic wants evidence and changes their mind when it arrives, while a cynic has already decided that everyone is selfish. The person is a skeptic and the habit is skepticism, and in science healthy skepticism is a compliment rather than a complaint. Being skeptical is not rudeness; it is asking what the evidence is.
1adjectiveskepticalNot willing to believe a claim until there is proof.
“Doctors were skeptical about the new treatment until the trial results came in.”
synonyms: doubtful, unconvinced
2adjectiveshowingShowing doubt in your face, voice or manner.
“She gave him a skeptical look over the top of her glasses.”
Also accepted in games: sceptical, doubtful
Skeptical is built from the Latin scepticus with the ending -al bolted on. The odd detail is the order: the adjective is recorded in English earlier than the noun skeptic. English had a word for the attitude before it had one for the person holding it.
From scepticus + -al. From scepticus + -al; attested earlier than skeptic. by surface analysis, skeptic + -al.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Feelings & Character, A Man Called Ove
First appears in chapter 1 of A Man Called Ove.
Practise this word