skeptical

UK: /ˈskɛptɪk^əl/ US: /ˈskɛptɪkəl/ ,(skep′ti kəl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

skep•ti•cal or scep•ti•cal /ˈskɛptɪkəl/   adj. 

1. inclined to have doubt or doubts.
2. showing doubt:
   a skeptical smile.
3. denying or questioning religion or the beliefs of a religion.

skep•ti•cal•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

skep•ti•cal  (skep′ti kəl), adj. 

1. inclined to skepticism;
   having doubt:
   a skeptical young woman.
2. showing doubt:
   a skeptical smile.
3. denying or questioning the tenets of a religion:
   a skeptical approach to the nature of miracles.
4. Philosophy (cap.) of or pertaining to Skeptics or Skepticism.

Also, sceptical. 

• skeptic + -al¹ 1630–40

skep′ti•cal•ly, adv. 
skep′ti•cal•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. skeptic. See doubtful. 
• 3. unbelieving.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

scep•ti•cal  (skep′ti kəl), adj. 

1. skeptical.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sceptical, skeptical / ˈskɛptɪk^əl/ adjective

1. not convinced that something is true; doubtful
2. tending to mistrust people, ideas, etc, in general
3. of or relating to sceptics; sceptic

ˈsceptically, ˈskeptically adverb