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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dubious contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dubious are doubtful, problematic, and questionable. While all these words mean "not affording assurance of the worth, soundness, or certainty of something," dubious stresses suspicion, mistrust, or hesitation.

dubious about the practicality of the scheme

When would doubtful be a good substitute for dubious?

The meanings of doubtful and dubious largely overlap; however, doubtful implies little more than a lack of conviction or certainty.

doubtful about whether I said the right thing

Where would problematic be a reasonable alternative to dubious?

While in some cases nearly identical to dubious, problematic applies especially to things whose existence, meaning, fulfillment, or realization is highly uncertain.

whether the project will ever be finished is problematic

When could questionable be used to replace dubious?

The words questionable and dubious can be used in similar contexts, but questionable may imply no more than the existence of doubt but usually suggests that the suspicions are well-grounded.

a man of questionable honesty

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dubious At least one, upon replay, looked more than … dubious. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025 Davis left in the first quarter with a quadriceps injury and his status for Thursday’s game is dubious. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025 Its success inspired a wave of canal building in other states, although the economic benefit of these other canals is dubious in retrospect. JSTOR Daily, 26 Oct. 2025 And there are people with theological and philosophical bents who use the BGV theorem to bolster their preferred arguments over how the Universe ultimately began, with dubious and debatable results. Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dubious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dubious
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, Packers quarterback Jordan Love will go into the game without one of his top receiving threats, who came into the game with a questionable tag.
    Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • You will be awarded with Very Special Records and questionable merchandise in due time.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • In the aftermath of the collapse against Iowa State, Dykes was reluctant to say the Horned Frogs have a problem closing games.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Nov. 2025
  • There are also egos to consider, notes one sales exec, who claims agencies are now reluctant for projects featuring their bigger names to launch without some money committed to paper beforehand.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • These reasons alone might be sufficient for those who hold the shares to consider taking profits or selling some of the upside option premium, anticipating that additional upside in the near term is unlikely.
    Michael Khouw, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
  • After all, Butler’s own success—as a child of a Black family that moved West from Jim Crow Louisiana during the Great Migration—would have been considered very unlikely at the moment of her birth.
    Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The comments in the post were split between those who wanted to show care to the boyfriend and those who were skeptical of the woman's behavior.
    Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
  • But there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical.
    Bob Woods, CNBC, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • That time, a very disputable foul denied him.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Republicans are hesitant to quit the procedure because Democrats could retake the Senate majority in future elections, and that would give them a bill-passing advantage.
    George Petras, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Haro-Ramos co-authored a study published in 2024 that found many Latinos were hesitant to get vaccinated because of fears about their immigration status, and that experiencing health discrimination like care denials or delays increased their vaccine hesitancy.
    Phillip Reese, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • As Altadena rebuilds, Good Neighbor has, essentially, become a daily support group, where neighbors can find comfort and a sense of permanence when everything else is unsure.
    Esther Tseng, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Many men in the facility, like Chacón, were unsure why they were accused of terrorist activity, the story detailed.
    Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Homicide detectives deemed the death suspicious and began investigating.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Homicide investigators are investigating the circumstances of the death as suspicious based on the woman’s unexplained injuries.
    Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dubious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dubious. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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