skeptical

/ˈskeptɪkl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈskeptɪkl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈskep-ti-kəl/ (ame, mw)

skeptical — adjective

  • skepticalpositive
  • more skepticalcomparative
  • most skepticalsuperlative

1. feeling or showing doubt about whether something is true, real, or likely to be

1.形容詞B2
釋義

feeling or showing doubt about whether something is true, real, or likely to be successful.

例句

Jason is skeptical about the mayor's promise to lower taxes within a year.

skeptical about + noun phrase

Tamar gave her manager a skeptical look when he claimed the project would finish early.

skeptical look — attributive use

同義詞
  • doubtful

    more informal and can apply to personal uncertainty; 'I'm doubtful I can finish' focuses on ability, not truth

  • dubious

    slightly stronger and often implies suspicion about honesty or quality; 'dubious business practices'

  • unconvinced

    focuses on the result of a persuasion attempt rather than a general attitude

  • questioning

    more active and open-ended; implies a desire to investigate rather than just doubt

反義詞
  • convinced

    the opposite state — having reached a firm belief

  • trusting

    describes a general disposition rather than a specific belief; 'a trusting person' vs 'a skeptical person'

  • certain

    stronger opposite; implies no doubt at all

文法句型

be skeptical about + noun phrase

be skeptical of + noun phrase

be skeptical (that) + clause

用法筆記

Commonly followed by about, of, or a that-clause. The tone is questioning rather than hostile — it describes a reasoned lack of conviction, not an automatic rejection.

常見錯誤

❌I am cynical about his explanation for being late.
✅I am skeptical about his explanation for being late.
💡'cynical' assumes bad intentions; 'skeptical' means you simply doubt the truth of the claim.