skeptic

noun

skep·​tic ˈskep-tik 

1

: an adherent or advocate of skepticism

2

: a person disposed to skepticism especially regarding religion or religious principles

Synonyms

• disbeliever
• doubter
• doubting Thomas
• questioner
• unbeliever

Examples of skeptic in a Sentence

Skeptics have pointed out flaws in the researchers' methods.

You can believe in ghosts if you like, but I'm still a skeptic.

He is a skeptic and a cynic.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bitcoin broke $100,000 for the first time on Wednesday night, a milestone hailed even by skeptics as a coming-of-age for digital assets as investors bet on a friendly U.S. administration to cement the place of cryptocurrencies in financial markets. —Reuters, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024

The makeup of the incoming Congress was shaped in part by the millions of dollars the industry spent to help defeat lawmakers seen as crypto skeptics, like Democratic Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, the current Chair of the Senate Banking Committee, who lost his reelection bid in November. —Rafael Nam, NPR, 4 Dec. 2024

Chris Wright’s Stance: Not a Climate Change Skeptic Unlike traditional skeptics, Wright acknowledges that carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas contributing to atmospheric warming. —Robert Rapier, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024

Among the notable skeptics is ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods. —Joel Mathis, theweek, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin or Greek; Latin scepticus, from Greek skeptikos, from skeptikos thoughtful, from skeptesthai to look, consider — more at spy

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

skeptic

noun

skep·​tic ˈskep-tik 

: a person slow to believe or ready to question : doubter