incredulous
in-KRED-yuh-luss
/ɪnˈkred.jʊ.ləs/
Unwilling or unable to believe something; showing disbelief.
Focuses on skeptical surprise—not just being shocked, but actively refusing to accept that something is true.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'incredulus', formed from 'in-' (not) and 'credere' (to trust/believe). It passed into Middle English directly from Classical Latin to describe a mindset that refuses belief.
Word relationships
- skeptical: 'Skeptical' is a general habit of doubt; 'incredulous' is a specific reaction of disbelief to shocking news.
- credulous: Gullible or ready to believe anything without proof.
- believing: Accepting statements as truthful.
Commonly confused with
- incredible: 'Incredible' describes the surprising thing; 'incredulous' describes the person reacting with doubt.
Word family
- incredulity (noun): The state of being unwilling or unable to believe.
- incredulously (adverb): In a manner indicating disbelief.
Collocations
- incredulous look
- incredulous stare
- remain incredulous
Idioms & expressions
- an incredulous gasp
Example sentences
- "He gave an incredulous laugh when told the impossible news." Classic Literature
Memory hook
IN-CREDULOUS means NOT CREDITING (not believing) what you just saw. Refusing to credit what you see.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'incredible'. An event is 'incredible' (unbelievable); a person looking at it is 'incredulous' (disbelieving).
Fun facts
- Confusing 'incredulous' and 'incredible' is one of the top five most common usage errors caught by professional copyeditors.
Related words
Explore more words
nonplussed, credulous, flummoxed, bewildered, gullible, skepticism
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