1 incredulous | Definition of incredulous
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incredulous

adjective
in·​cred·​u·​lous | \ (ËŒ)in-ˈkre-jÉ™-lÉ™s How to pronounce incredulous (audio) , -dyÉ™-lÉ™s\

Definition of incredulous

1 : unwilling to admit or accept what is offered as true : not credulous : skeptical
2 : incredible sense 1
3 : expressing incredulity an incredulous stare
Other Words from incredulous Synonyms & Antonyms Can incredulous mean 'incredible'?: Usage Guide More Example Sentences Learn More about incredulous

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Other Words from incredulous

incredulously adverb

Can incredulous mean 'incredible'?: Usage Guide

Sense 2 was revived in the 20th century after a couple of centuries of disuse. Although it is a sense with good literary precedent—among others Shakespeare used it—it is widely regarded as an error resulting from confusion with incredible, and its occurrence in published writing is rare.

Examples of incredulous in a Sentence

"Afraid not." I made an expression to show that I was as incredulous about this as he was. — Bill Bryson, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, 1999 A tweed-encased fogey, he's allergic to technology, persnickety about language, and incredulous that anyone could object to his incessant smoking. — John Powers, Vogue, March 1998 He was greeted with incredulous laughter. — Robert M. Hutchins, Center Magazine, September 1968 … no obstacle, no incredulous or unsafe circumstance … — William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, 1602 She listened to his explanation with an incredulous smile. He was incredulous at the news. Many people were incredulous that such a small fire could have caused so much damage.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 The judges appeared incredulous during the hearing. — Graham Kates, CBS News, "Court says detained migrant children can't be sleep-deprived, must get soap," 15 Aug. 2019 One was working long hours, and Jay Judah called Wayne, incredulous, asking him to cut the boy some slack. — Hailey Branson-potts, latimes.com, "After half a century, Rancho Palos Verdes bids bon voyage to the Admiral Risty restaurant," 3 July 2019 Other Islamists appeared incredulous over her decision. — Menna Zaki, Fox News, "Movie star's lifestyle reversal sparks a debate in Egypt," 21 Aug. 2018 Fonda appeared incredulous and gave Kelly a long stare. — Maria Puente, USA TODAY, "Megyn Kelly vs. Jane Fonda: The scratching continues," 22 Jan. 2018 The judges of the court of appeals were incredulous at the government’s claim that soap and a toothbrush were not necessarily required for detained migrant children. — Kevin Johnson, The Conversation, "Changes for a landmark agreement mean immigrant children face harsher treatment in US," 22 Aug. 2019 One area that would bring an incredulous smile to the Drive’s creators is Dogpatch. — Gary Kamiya, SFChronicle.com, "San Francisco scenic treasure that locals overlook," 28 June 2019 The Saluda County Sheriff’s officer was incredulous. — Tim Elfrink, Twin Cities, "It was bird poop, not cocaine, quarterback said. His dropped charges set up game vs. Gophers," 9 Aug. 2019 When those higher figures were used as the basis to clear P.S.G., Cunha Rodrigues was incredulous. — New York Times, "In P.S.G. Case, Documents Show UEFA Surrendered Without a Fight," 24 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'incredulous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of incredulous

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for incredulous

Latin incredulus, from in- + credulus credulous

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More Definitions for incredulous

incredulous

adjective
How to pronounce incredulous (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of incredulous

: not able or willing to believe something : feeling or showing a lack of belief

See the full definition for incredulous in the English Language Learners Dictionary

incredulous

adjective
in·​cred·​u·​lous | \ in-ˈkre-jÉ™-lÉ™s How to pronounce incredulous (audio) \

Kids Definition of incredulous

: feeling or showing disbelief

Other Words from incredulous

incredulously adverb

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More from Merriam-Webster on incredulous

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for incredulous

Spanish Central: Translation of incredulous

Nglish: Translation of incredulous for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of incredulous for Arabic Speakers

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