SKEPTICISM

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does skepticism mean? 

• SKEPTICISM (noun)
  The noun SKEPTICISM has 2 senses:

1. doubt about the truth of something

2. the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge

  Familiarity information: SKEPTICISM used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SKEPTICISM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Doubt about the truth of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

disbelief; incredulity; mental rejection; skepticism

Hypernyms ("skepticism" is a kind of...):

doubt; doubtfulness; dubiety; dubiousness; incertitude; uncertainty (the state of being unsure of something)

Derivation:

skeptical (denying or questioning the tenets of especially a religion)

skeptical (marked by or given to doubt)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

agnosticism; scepticism; skepticism

Hypernyms ("skepticism" is a kind of...):

disbelief; unbelief (a rejection of belief)

Derivation:

skeptical (denying or questioning the tenets of especially a religion)

skeptical (marked by or given to doubt)

 Context examples 

Other scientists express skepticism saying a lot more research is needed before xenotransplantation becomes widely available.

(Scientist Move Closer to Pig-human Organ Transplants, VOA)

Taking our skepticism for granted, he rushed to the bookcases and returned with Volume One of the "Stoddard Lectures."

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)

I couldn't guess what Daisy and Tom were thinking but I doubt if even Miss Baker who seemed to have mastered a certain hardy skepticism was able utterly to put this fifth guest's shrill metallic urgency out of mind.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)

Suddenly I wasn't thinking of Daisy and Gatsby any more but of this clean, hard, limited person who dealt in universal skepticism and who leaned back jauntily just within the circle of my arm.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)