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Prepositions after adjectives

Sceptical about or sceptical of?

Both sceptical about and sceptical of are standard. Sceptical about is common before ideas or claims, while sceptical of often expresses doubt about people, motives, or general situations.

Quick answer

Using sceptical correctly

Use sceptical about before statements, plans, or possibilities. Use sceptical of before people, intentions, or broader concepts. In many contexts, both are possible with only a small difference in tone.

I am sceptical about the new proposal.
She remains sceptical of his promises.
Many scientists are sceptical about the claim.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
sceptical about + idea

Doubting information or plans

Use sceptical about with proposals, explanations, predictions, and claims.

They are sceptical about the results.
We were sceptical about the announcement.
2
sceptical of + person or motive

Distrusting someone or something

Use sceptical of for suspicion or doubt directed at people, intentions, or systems.

She is sceptical of advertising claims.
Many voters became sceptical of politicians.
3
sceptical that + clause

Introducing a doubtful statement

A that-clause can follow sceptical to explain the doubt directly.

I am sceptical that the plan will succeed.
They were sceptical that he had enough evidence.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
sceptical about
He is sceptical about the project.
Doubt about an idea or plan.
sceptical of
She is sceptical of his explanation.
Distrust or doubt directed at a person, claim, or thing.
sceptical that
We are sceptical that the figures are accurate.
Doubt expressed through a full clause.
doubtful about
They are doubtful about the timing.
A similar but slightly less formal alternative.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using sceptical to

Sceptical is not normally followed by to.

✕ She is sceptical to the idea. ✓ She is sceptical about the idea.

Forgetting the preposition before a noun

Use about or of before a noun phrase.

✕ He is sceptical the report. ✓ He is sceptical of the report.

Using of with a clause

Use that before a full clause.

✕ I am sceptical of the plan will work. ✓ I am sceptical that the plan will work.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Many investors are ___ the company's forecasts.
2. She is ___ his sudden generosity.
3. We are sceptical ___ the plan can succeed.

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Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

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Frequently asked questions

Are sceptical about and sceptical of interchangeable?

Often yes, but about usually focuses on ideas or topics, while of often sounds more personal or distrustful.

Is sceptical of more formal?

It can sound slightly more formal or literary in some contexts.

Can I spell it skeptical?

Yes. Skeptical is the standard American spelling, while sceptical is common in British English.

sacred-to-in-by-of, for "sad for" or "sad about"? "safe for", "safe from" or "safe in"? sanguine about, in, of, on or for? "satisfactory to" or "satisfactory for"? satisfied with, of, by, in or on? "satisfying for" or "satisfying to"? scarce in, for, at, on or of? scared of, to, about, for or by? "scary for" or "scary to"? "scathing about", "scathing in" or "scathing of"? searchable by, on, in, via or through?

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