YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

incredulous

Adjective

IPA /ɪnˈkredʒələs/

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Meaning in plain English

Unable or unwilling to believe something because it seems so surprising or unlikely.

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Pronunciation

incredulous/ɪnˈkredʒələs/

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Someone reports a startling price
The listener finds it hard to believe
Their reaction shows disbelief

An incredulous person cannot readily accept what they have heard.

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She gave me an incredulous look when I said the taxi cost more than the flight.
The students were incredulous when the experiment produced the same result twice.

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She gave me an ________ look when I said the taxi cost more than the flight.

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incredulous — Unable or unwilling to believe something because it seems so surprising or unlikely.

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Unable or unwilling to believe something because it seems so surprising or unlikely.

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Word origin

From Latin incredulus, combining not with believing or trusting.

Did you know?

Incredulous describes the person or their reaction; incredible describes something difficult to believe.

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