sceptical
Not sure something is true and needing proof before you believe it.
sceptical in a sentence
- Amir was sceptical about his brother's story of a talking dog and asked to see it for himself.
- Miss Lane was sceptical about the ghost in the gym and wanted proof before believing a word.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to sceptical?
- Atrusting
- Bdoubtful
- Ccertain
- Dsure
Show the answer
B: doubtful. The other three mean the opposite of sceptical.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to sceptical?
- Adoubtful
- Bsuspicious
- Csure
- Dwary
Show the answer
C: sure. The other three mean nearly the same as sceptical.
Words that mean something similar
doubtful, suspicious, wary
Words that mean the opposite
sure, trusting, certain
Careful: sceptical is not wary
Sceptical asks: is this true? Wary asks: could this hurt me? Read why children mix them up.
More words about thinking & learning
- scrutinise: To look at something very closely and carefully to check every detail.
- shrewd: Clever at judging people and situations, especially to get what you want.
- specific: Exact and clearly stated, not general.
- strive: To try very hard to achieve something.
- subtle: Small and not obvious, so it is easy to miss.
- superficial: Only on the surface, without going deep.
- thorough: Done carefully and completely, with nothing missed out.
- unanimous: Agreed by every single person, with nobody voting against.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test