skepticism

or scep·ti·cism

[ skep-tuh-siz-uhm ]
/ ˈskɛp təˌsɪz əm /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR skepticism ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

skeptical attitude or temper; doubt.
doubt or unbelief with regard to a religion, especially Christianity.
(initial capital letter) the doctrines or opinions of philosophical Skeptics; universal doubt.

Origin of skepticism

1640–50; < New Latin scepticismus, equivalent to Latin sceptic(us) skeptic + -ismus -ism

SYNONYMS FOR skepticism

1 questioning, probing, testing.
2 disbelief, atheism, agnosticism.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR skepticism ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM skepticism

an·ti·skep·ti·cism, noun

Words nearby skepticism

skene dhu, skep, skepful, skeptic, skeptical, skepticism, skerrick, skerry, sket, sketch, sketch book, the

Words related to skepticism

hesitation, disbelief, apprehension, uncertainty, reluctance, distrust, suspicion, indecision, questioning, dubiety, dubiousness, agnosticism, leeriness

Example sentences from the Web for skepticism

Cultural definitions for skepticism

skepticism

In philosophy, the position that what cannot be proved by reason should not be believed. One of the main tasks of epistemology is to find an answer to the charge of some extreme skeptics that no knowledge is possible.