skeptical

Skeptical is an adjective that describes an attitude of doubt or a questioning stance toward claims, beliefs, or statements. A skeptical person tends to require evidence before accepting conclusions and may challenge assumptions rather than taking them at face value. The related noun is skepticism, and the adverb is skeptically.

Etymology: The word comes from the Late Latin scepticus, via the Greek skeptikos, from skeptesthai “to look at, inspect.” The spelling with “p” reflects the Greek root; the sense of doubt persists across historical periods in both everyday and scholarly use.

In philosophy, skepticism refers to a school of thought that questions the possibility of certain knowledge. Ancient skepticism includes Pyrrhonian and Academic strands, while modern epistemic skepticism questions the reliability of beliefs about the external world. Some philosophers use skepticism as a methodological tool to test claims, not as a blanket denial of knowledge; in science and critical inquiry, doubt is often used to demand evidence and reproducibility.

In contemporary usage, being skeptical usually means requiring strong evidence for new claims, especially extraordinary ones, and avoiding credulity. Skepticism is a common stance in science, journalism, and critical thinking, where claims are assessed against available evidence rather than appeal to authority or tradition.

See also: skeptic, skepticism, Pyrrho, Sextus Empiricus, scientific skepticism.