Suspicion vs Skeptical - What's the difference?
suspicion | skeptical |
The act of suspecting something or someone, especially of something wrong.
The condition of being suspected.
Uncertainty, doubt.
*
A trace, or slight indication.
* (Adolphus William Ward) (1837-1924)
The imagining of something without evidence.
(nonstandard, dialect) To suspect; to have suspicions.
* (Rudyard Kipling)
* 2012 , B. M. Bower, Cow-Country (page 195)
Having, or expressing doubt; questioning.
* {{quote-magazine, year=2012, month=March-April
, author=Colin Allen
, title=Do I See What You See?
, volume=100, issue=2, page=168
, magazine=(American Scientist)
Of or relating to skepticism or the skeptics.
As a noun suspicion
is the act of suspecting something or someone, especially of something wrong.As a verb suspicion
is (nonstandard|dialect) to suspect; to have suspicions.As an adjective skeptical is
having, or expressing doubt; questioning.suspicion
English
Alternative forms
* suspition (obsolete)Noun
(en noun)- In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.Strangers might enter the room, but they were made to feel that they were there on sufferance: they were received with distance and suspicion .
- The features are mild but expressive, with just a suspicion of saturnine or sarcastic humor.
Derived terms
* suspicious * suspect * sneaking suspicionVerb
(en verb)- Mulvaney continued— "Whin I was full awake the palanquin was set down in a street, I suspicioned , for I cud hear people passin' an' talkin'. But I knew well I was far from home.
- "I've been suspicioning here was where they got their information right along," the sheriff commented, and slipped the handcuffs on the landlord.
References
* (EtymOnLine)skeptical
English
Alternative forms
* sceptical (British English)Adjective
(en adjective)citation, passage=Numerous experimental tests and other observations have been offered in favor of animal mind reading, and although many scientists are skeptical , others assert that humans are not the only species capable of representing what others do and don’t perceive and know.}}
- My teacher was skeptical when I told her my dog ate my homework.
- I can see why people are so skeptical [sic] about him, but I think he's on to something here. (regarded by organizations such as the
BBC
as an error)