doubtful

adjective

doubt·ful ˈdau̇t-fəl How to pronounce doubtful (audio)

: lacking a definite opinion, conviction, or determination

They were doubtful about the advantages of the new system.

: uncertain in outcome : undecided

The outcome of the election remains doubtful.

: marked by qualities that raise doubts about worth, honesty, or validity

of doubtful repute

: giving rise to doubt or uncertainty : open to question

It is doubtful that they ever knew what happened.

a doubtful premise

doubtfully

ˈdau̇t-fə-lē How to pronounce doubtful (audio)

adverb

doubtfulness noun

Example Sentences

I tried to reassure them, but they remained doubtful. The truth of the statements was doubtful. Their decisions were based on data of doubtful accuracy.

Recent Examples on the Web Bears rookie wide receiver/returner Velus Jones Jr. was listed as doubtful to play with a hamstring injury, while rookie defensive end Dominique Robinson was questionable with a knee injury.

Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2022 After not practicing all week, J.C. Jackson was officially designated as doubtful for the Chargers’ season-opener Sunday against Las Vegas.

Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2022 Practice emotional intelligence by being self-aware in the situation—manage the feelings of being uncomfortable or doubtful of yourself and know the triggers.

Expert Panel®, Forbes, 17 June 2022 But Frost and other legal experts said that making the procedures less opaque would help build trust among the court skeptics doubtful of Thomas' and other justices' refusal to recuse in certain cases.

Tierney Sneed, Caroline Kenny And Pamela Brown, CNN, 4 Feb. 2022 McFadden, however, is doubtful of the building's effectiveness.

NBC News, 3 Nov. 2021 Senate Democrats, doubtful of getting the 60 votes needed to thwart a possible filibuster, are considering adding some PRO Act provisions to a $3.5 trillion spending bill.

Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 1 Sep. 2021 In March, the White House also orchestrated an Instagram Live chat between Dr. Fauci and Eugenio Derbez, a Mexican actor with over 16.6 million Instagram followers who had been openly doubtful of the vaccines.

New York Times, 2 Aug. 2021 However, the outlook for further development during the weekend remains doubtful because the disturbance will run into unfavorable conditions.

Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2022 See More

doubtful

adjective

as in unsure

not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something he was doubtful about the decision to complete the project despite its mounting problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

unsure
skeptical
suspicious
uncertain
dubious
unsettled
unconvinced
undecided
distrustful
mistrustful
hesitant
ambivalent
trustless
conflicted
hinky
diffident
equivocal
on the fence
irresolute
insecure
wavering
vacillating
halting
indecisive

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sure
convinced
certain
positive
confident
assured
sanguine
decisive
determined
resolute
self-assured

as in questionable

giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged the election results were highly doubtful, so an investigation was begun

Synonyms & Similar Words

questionable
dubious
disputable
suspicious
suspect
debatable
problematic
problematical
ambiguous
unclear
shaky
equivocal
unlikely
fishy
alleged
doubtable
uncertain
dubitable
dodgy
shady
supposed
queer
moot
weak
improbable
undetermined
undecided
far-fetched
flimsy
so-called
open

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sure
certain
unquestionable
indisputable
undeniable
undoubted
indubitable
unproblematic
incontestable
decisive
obvious
definitive
questionless
positive
clear
hands-down
open-and-shut

as in unlikely

not likely to be true or to occur our winning the championship increasingly looks like a doubtful outcome

Synonyms & Similar Words

unlikely
dubious
questionable
improbable
odd
far-fetched
impossible
flimsy
implausible
inconceivable
unapt
bizarre
incredible
unbelievable
ridiculous
unthinkable
absurd
foolish
unimaginable
fantastical
preposterous
outlandish
fantastic
unreal
insane
nonsensical
crazy
slight
outside
remote
wild

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

probable
likely
plausible
possible
conceivable
potential
credible
earthly
liable
believable
imaginable

as in disputable

open to question or dispute a doubtful claim to the property

Synonyms & Similar Words

questionable
disputable
debatable
arguable
moot
disputed
ambiguous
controversial
uncertain
negotiable
doubtable
controvertible
debated
problematic
issuable
iffy
problematical
speculative
inconclusive
dubious
hypothetical
refutable
shaky
theoretical
contradictable
indecisive
equivocal
theoretic
academical
academic

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sure
certain
unquestionable
positive
indisputable
unanswerable
undeniable
indubitable
incontestable
undebatable
irrefragable
unarguable
inarguable
unchallengeable
incontrovertible
definite
accomplished
irrefutable
settled
questionless
conclusive
unequivocal
decisive
unambiguous
clear
hands-down
absolute
undisputed
uncontested

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of doubtful are dubious, problematic, and questionable. While all these words mean "not affording assurance of the worth, soundness, or certainty of something," doubtful implies little more than a lack of conviction or certainty.

doubtful about whether I said the right thing

The words dubious and doubtful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dubious stresses suspicion, mistrust, or hesitation.

dubious about the practicality of the scheme

While the synonyms problematic and doubtful are close in meaning, problematic applies especially to things whose existence, meaning, fulfillment, or realization is highly uncertain.

whether the project will ever be finished is problematic

While in some cases nearly identical to doubtful, questionable may imply no more than the existence of doubt but usually suggests that the suspicions are well-grounded.

a man of questionable honesty

单词	doubtful
释义	doubtful adjective doubt·ful ˈdau̇t-fəl 1 a : lacking a definite opinion, conviction, or determination They were doubtful about the advantages of the new system. b : uncertain in outcome : undecided The outcome of the election remains doubtful. 2 : marked by qualities that raise doubts about worth, honesty, or validity of doubtful repute 3 : giving rise to doubt or uncertainty : open to question It is doubtful that they ever knew what happened. a doubtful premise doubtfully ˈdau̇t-fə-lē adverb doubtfulness noun Synonyms distrustful dubious hinky [slang] mistrustful skeptical suspicious trustless uncertain unconvinced undecided unsettled unsure See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences I tried to reassure them, but they remained doubtful. The truth of the statements was doubtful. Their decisions were based on data of doubtful accuracy. Recent Examples on the Web Bears rookie wide receiver/returner Velus Jones Jr. was listed as doubtful to play with a hamstring injury, while rookie defensive end Dominique Robinson was questionable with a knee injury. Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2022 After not practicing all week, J.C. Jackson was officially designated as doubtful for the Chargers’ season-opener Sunday against Las Vegas. Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2022 Practice emotional intelligence by being self-aware in the situation—manage the feelings of being uncomfortable or doubtful of yourself and know the triggers. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 17 June 2022 But Frost and other legal experts said that making the procedures less opaque would help build trust among the court skeptics doubtful of Thomas' and other justices' refusal to recuse in certain cases. Tierney Sneed, Caroline Kenny And Pamela Brown, CNN, 4 Feb. 2022 McFadden, however, is doubtful of the building's effectiveness. NBC News, 3 Nov. 2021 Senate Democrats, doubtful of getting the 60 votes needed to thwart a possible filibuster, are considering adding some PRO Act provisions to a $3.5 trillion spending bill. Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 1 Sep. 2021 In March, the White House also orchestrated an Instagram Live chat between Dr. Fauci and Eugenio Derbez, a Mexican actor with over 16.6 million Instagram followers who had been openly doubtful of the vaccines. New York Times, 2 Aug. 2021 However, the outlook for further development during the weekend remains doubtful because the disturbance will run into unfavorable conditions. Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology see doubt entry 1 First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3 Kids Definition doubtful adjective doubt·ful ˈdau̇t-fəl 1 : undecided or unsure about something I'm doubtful we'll make it on time. Minli was a little doubtful about riding the dragon. Grace Lin, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon 2 : not likely to be true a doubtful claim 3 : not likely to be good doubtful quality 4 : not certain in outcome a doubtful future doubtful adjective 1 as in unsure not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something he was doubtful about the decision to complete the project despite its mounting problems Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance unsure skeptical suspicious uncertain dubious unsettled unconvinced undecided distrustful mistrustful hesitant ambivalent trustless conflicted hinky diffident equivocal on the fence irresolute insecure wavering vacillating halting indecisive Antonyms & Near Antonyms sure convinced certain positive confident assured sanguine decisive determined resolute self-assured See More 2 as in questionable giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged the election results were highly doubtful, so an investigation was begun Synonyms & Similar Words questionable dubious disputable suspicious suspect debatable problematic problematical ambiguous unclear shaky equivocal unlikely fishy alleged doubtable uncertain dubitable dodgy shady supposed queer moot weak improbable undetermined undecided far-fetched flimsy so-called open Antonyms & Near Antonyms sure certain unquestionable indisputable undeniable undoubted indubitable unproblematic incontestable decisive obvious definitive questionless positive clear hands-down open-and-shut See More 3 as in unlikely not likely to be true or to occur our winning the championship increasingly looks like a doubtful outcome Synonyms & Similar Words unlikely dubious questionable improbable odd far-fetched impossible flimsy implausible inconceivable unapt bizarre incredible unbelievable ridiculous unthinkable absurd foolish unimaginable fantastical preposterous outlandish fantastic unreal insane nonsensical crazy slight outside remote wild Antonyms & Near Antonyms probable likely plausible possible conceivable potential credible earthly liable believable imaginable See More 4 as in disputable open to question or dispute a doubtful claim to the property Synonyms & Similar Words questionable disputable debatable arguable moot disputed ambiguous controversial uncertain negotiable doubtable controvertible debated problematic issuable iffy problematical speculative inconclusive dubious hypothetical refutable shaky theoretical contradictable indecisive equivocal theoretic academical academic Antonyms & Near Antonyms sure certain unquestionable positive indisputable unanswerable undeniable indubitable incontestable undebatable irrefragable unarguable inarguable unchallengeable incontrovertible definite accomplished irrefutable settled questionless conclusive unequivocal decisive unambiguous clear hands-down absolute undisputed uncontested See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of doubtful are dubious, problematic, and questionable. While all these words mean "not affording assurance of the worth, soundness, or certainty of something," doubtful implies little more than a lack of conviction or certainty. doubtful about whether I said the right thing The words dubious and doubtful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dubious stresses suspicion, mistrust, or hesitation. dubious about the practicality of the scheme While the synonyms problematic and doubtful are close in meaning, problematic applies especially to things whose existence, meaning, fulfillment, or realization is highly uncertain. whether the project will ever be finished is problematic While in some cases nearly identical to doubtful, questionable may imply no more than the existence of doubt but usually suggests that the suspicions are well-grounded. a man of questionable honesty
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doubtful

adjective

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser