Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Skeptical; disbelieving.
  • adjective Expressive of disbelief.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Not credulous; not disposed to admit the truth of what is related; not given to believe readily; refusing or withholding belief; skeptical.
  • Not easy to be believed; incredible.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Not credulous; indisposed to admit or accept that which is related as true, skeptical; unbelieving.
  • adjective Indicating, or caused by, disbelief or incredulity.
  • adjective rare Incredible; not easy to be believed.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Latin incrēdulus : in-, not; see in– + crēdulus, believing; see credulous.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin incredulus ("unbelieving").

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Examples

  • Jace couldnt help it; his eyes flicked instantly to Maryse, his expression incredulous.

    Cassandra Clare: The Mortal Instrument Series Cassandra Clare 2009

  • I looked across the table at Upton, my expression incredulous.

    Paradise Lost Kate Brian 2009

  • I looked across the table at Upton, my expression incredulous.

    Paradise Lost Kate Brian 2009

  • Jace couldnt help it; his eyes flicked instantly to Maryse, his expression incredulous.

    City of Ashes Cassandra Clare 2008

  • His expression incredulous, he pulled his hands away from his chest and stared in shock at the sticky blood covering them.

    Good Girl Gone Bad Karin Tabke 2006

  • She had to look at him, her expression incredulous.

    Strangers In the Night Linda Howard 2001

  • He stopped and turned, his expression incredulous, but with a look of deep concern in his eyes.

    All Through The Night Mary Higgins Clark 1998

  • He stopped and turned, his expression incredulous, but with a look of deep concern in his eyes.

    All Through The Night Mary Higgins Clark 1998

  • He stopped and turned, his expression incredulous, but with a look of deep concern in his eyes.

    All Through The Night Mary Higgins Clark 1998

  • My husband was again incredulous at the open judgement that moms heap on each other and it helped so much for him to say – who cares … you are a great mom who cares about your babies health and you made your choices with the help of your OB.

    A Good Birth | Her Bad Mother 2010

Comments

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  • 'Soccer star Michael Owen today accepted a public apology and substantial undisclosed damages over "incredulous allegations" that his football career was over.

    Owen's solicitor, John Kelly, told Mr Justice Eady that it falsely alleged that Premier League clubs did not want to sign him and, as a result of a lack of interest, he was on the verge of retiring from professional football at the end of the season.

    Mr Kelly said: "These incredulous allegations are entirely without foundation and were obviously extremely distressing, hurtful and damaging to the claimant."'

    - PA, 3-6-9, reported here.

    Shurely Mr Kelly means incredible? I'm incredulous that such a (presumably) well-paid legal brain would confound the two adjectives so.

    June 4, 2009

  • I would think so, yes. Moreover, if they were incredible allegations, then why claim damages? Nobody will believe them anyway, right? *eyeroll*

    June 4, 2009

  • Eclispe by Stephenie Meyer Page 79

    -"Jacob was stating at us with incredulous eyes."

    November 1, 2010