quizzical

adjective

quiz·​zi·​cal ˈkwi-zi-kəl How to pronounce quizzical (audio)
1
: comically quaint
a quizzical old man
2
: mildly teasing or mocking
a quizzical remark
3
: expressive of puzzlement, curiosity, or disbelief
raised a quizzical eyebrow
quizzicality noun
quizzically adverb

Examples of quizzical in a Sentence

He gave me a quizzical look. There was a quizzical expression on his face. She raised a quizzical eyebrow when she saw what he was wearing.
Recent Examples on the Web Waybill stood amid a swirling gale of groovy hard rock created by the other four men onstage and uttered the quizzical, comical lines with a kind of perplexed deadpan delivery. Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Novak’s other works approach the world with the same quizzical stance toward traditional mores. Ashley Fetters Maloy, Washington Post, 22 Jan. 2024 Story continues below advertisement For days, the researchers scrambled over rocks and burrowed into crevices, dodging spiderwebs and drawing quizzical looks from beachgoers. Frank Hulley-Jones, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023 Jane saunters back and forth, bobbing up and down, and gives guests a quizzical, skeptical look. Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023 Foreign governments, especially those in the West, have followed Khan’s indignant campaign with, at best, quizzical interest. Husain Haqqani, Foreign Affairs, 12 June 2023 But to a casual viewer, acronyms like GCHQ and NSC might trigger quizzical looks. Lauren Puckett-Pope, ELLE, 21 Apr. 2023 The performers routinely break the fourth wall: There are knowing looks, self-referential bits, eye rolls and quizzical expressions directed at audience members. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Apr. 2023 Gyllenhaal’s quizzical stoic quality, which in certain movies can drive me a little nuts, works perfectly here. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quizzical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quizzical was in 1797

Dictionary Entries Near quizzical

Cite this Entry

“Quizzical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quizzical. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

quizzical

adjective
quiz·​zi·​cal ˈkwiz-i-kəl How to pronounce quizzical (audio)
1
: teasing in a good-natured way
2
a
: showing doubt in a good-natured way
b
: showing puzzlement or curiosity
quizzically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on quizzical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!