incredulity - Master This Word
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incredulity Word Meanings
- unwilling to believe something
- doubtful or skeptical
- showing disbelief
incredulity Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
- She looked at him with an incredulous expression.
- I was incredulous when I heard the news.
- His story was so strange that I felt incredulous.
- The teacher gave an incredulous laugh at the joke.
- They were incredulous about the surprise party.
incredulity Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ɪnˈkrɛdʒ.əl.əs/
US
/ɪnˈkrɛdʒ.əl.əs/
incredulity Word Etymology
Root decomposition: in- (not) + credulous (believing). Historical origin: Latin 'incredulus' → Old French → English. Memory image: Imagine a person with their arms crossed and a raised eyebrow, refusing to believe even the most outrageous claims.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputReal Context
An incredulous person is not simply skeptical; they actively doubt claims that seem unlikely or extraordinary. This adjective describes a reaction or attitude: unwilling to believe something that others accept, or a tendency to question the evidence. In everyday speech you might say, 'She looked incredulous when the magician revealed the trick,' meaning her disbelief was visible. In journalism and fiction, incredulous is often paired with adverbs like completely or absolutely to emphasize a strong response. Note that incredulous refers to belief, not knowledge; you can be incredulous about rumors, conspiracies, or unbelievable stories, while still accepting verifiable facts.
Usage Reminders
- 1. Use incredulous to describe a reaction, not the thing itself.
- 2. Pair with look or smile: incredulous look / incredulous smile.
- 3. Don’t say 'an incredulous evidence'—say 'an incredulously framed claim' or simply 'a disbelief'.
- 4. Remember it collocates with adverbs like completely or visibly.
- 5. Distinguish from incredible: the former is about disbelief, the latter about impressiveness.
Common Misconceptions
- Believing incredulous means believing the thing itself (it does not).
- Incredulous is about a reaction, not the claim's truth.
- It is not interchangeable with incredible when describing the thing.
- People sometimes overextend it to mean 'very surprising' instead of 'doubtful'.
- Star with a clear subject: 'He looked incredulous,' not 'The story was incredulous.'
Thinking Differences
Explain to an English speaker: In English, incredulous is used to describe a person’s reaction to something that seems hard to believe; learners often conflate it with incredible or apply it to events rather than people.
Learning Tips
- Compare incredulous with incredible to avoid confusing reaction vs. thing.
- Note common collocations: incredulous look, incredulous laugh.
- Use after be, feel, seem to describe reactions.
- Practice with rumors or unbelievable stories to feel the nuance.
- Pair with verbs like appear, seem, respond to show disbelief.
- Validate the sentence by replacing with skeptical if appropriate.
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