1
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged
any letter bearing the signature of Geronimo would be of dubious authenticity, to say the least
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reluctant
slow to begin or proceed with a course of action because of doubts or uncertainty
I'm dubious about our plan to go hang gliding without having had any training
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unlikely
not likely to be true or to occur
made the dubious claim of being of royal blood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in skeptical
not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something
dubious about a diet that claims I can eat all I want and still lose weight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dubious
This claim was dubious; the President has unsuccessfully sought a billion dollars in government funding.
—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Stewart has had plenty of time to reconstruct those dubious purchases but has produced nothing.
—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
It was widely criticized for not pushing back at a number of Netanyahu’s more dubious claims.
—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Some kits are less easy to adore, whether bad (always subjective), good but spoiled by a dubious sponsor, a combination of both or tainted by association.
—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dubious
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Stewart has had plenty of time to reconstruct those dubious purchases but has produced nothing.
—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
It was widely criticized for not pushing back at a number of Netanyahu’s more dubious claims.
—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Some kits are less easy to adore, whether bad (always subjective), good but spoiled by a dubious sponsor, a combination of both or tainted by association.
—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dubious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dubious
Adjective
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The logic here is highly questionable — dying for your queen and dying by her hand are not equivalent sacrifices — but let’s blame Lorent’s lapse in judgment on the chaos of the moment.
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Indeed, Femi is just that, even despite a questionable loss to Lesnar in their second match at Clash in Italy last month.
Adjective
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The government has previously been reluctant to accept assistance from private organizations, particularly those linked to opposition groups.
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While Democrats outside of big cities and college towns remain reluctant to nominate socialists, polling shows socialism is increasingly mainstream within the party.
Adjective
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Hezbollah is unlikely to agree to any plan that would include its disarmament throughout the country.
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Alito also wrote that the argument that Haiti’s TPS designation was terminated because of race, thus violating equal protection claims, was unlikely to succeed.
Adjective
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Some physicists are skeptical that such waves could escape the intense gravitational environment near a black hole’s event horizon, or that current instruments can reliably separate a direct wave signal from the surrounding noise.
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The fresh attack, the first reported since the US and Iran agreed last week to work toward a peace deal, prompted an uptick in global oil prices and came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio tried to sell the peace agreement to skeptical Gulf nations.
Adjective
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However, disputable refereeing decisions, especially in the matches against Italy and Spain, led to allegations that South Korea may have benefited from favorable officiating.
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Speech — Intimidation as censorship The First Amendment protects disputable speech, not agreeable.
Adjective
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His kids, though hesitant at first, became a large part of the business.
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The stock is catching the eye of short-sellers, but as CNBC’s Yun Li reports, many still seem hesitant about betting against Elon Musk.
Adjective
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Meanwhile, their adult children may feel unsure about how to — or even whether to — insert themselves.
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Now that the Fan Fest has been canceled for the afternoon, thousands of Netherlands fans are unsure where to go.
Adjective
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Norma was instantly suspicious.
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Ahead of the fateful trip to Zion, Bernadette was growing suspicious about Vander Meer’s behavior.
Cite this Entry
“Dubious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dubious. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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