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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During oral arguments, attorneys for both trans athletes had questionable moments.
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If the debt isn't actually yours, is too old to be legally enforceable or is otherwise questionable, negotiating may do more harm than good.
Adjective
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The dimension that does the most good is the one leaders are most reluctant to give, because choice costs authority while enjoyment costs only money.
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Last week, sources told THR that studios were reluctant to pick up the film for a variety of reasons, including political concerns.
Adjective
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An unlikely combination of right-hander Gavin Hollowell, lefty Caleb Thielbar and right-hander Trent Thornton kept the Padres off the board over the final 2 2/3 innings to keep the game tied for the Cubs’ offense.
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His workload and efficiency have been invaluable, and demoting seems unlikely.
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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Standards are high at the Etihad Stadium after 10 years of Guardiola and Manchester City is counting on Maresca being the right man to keep this going even if many of the club’s own supporters are unsure.
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People are unsure about the industry for good reason, with everything happening with AI and in the world.
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 1 Jul. 2026.
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