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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 Slowing down and speeding up Daisy arrived in his life through his ex-wife, who was moving to a new place that was dubious about pets. Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025 That includes the temporary shelving of Jimmy Kimmel and the pressure on corporate parents that prompted the multimillion-dollar settlements of dubious lawsuits against ABC News and CBS News. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025 When Kimberly and her family leave the New Jersey suburbs under dubious circumstances, Kimberly reevaluates her life while dealing with her hypochondriac mother, alcoholic father, scam-artist aunt, her own mortality and her first love. Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025 Two years later, the labor statistics for junior programmers look dubious. Nikita Ostrovsky, Time, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dubious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dubious
Adjective
  • Adding to the lore, Springer was hit by a pitch in his right knee late during Game 5 in Seattle, a Mariners victory that put them up 3-2 and was questionable for the rest of the series.
    Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 21 Oct. 2025
  • These are winnable games if everyone executes on the Carolina side, but Young being questionable for both (potentially) makes the outlook kind of up in the air.
    Mike Kaye October 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned that the country’s other companies might be reluctant about betting on America if their workers couldn’t get visas promptly and risked getting detained.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025
  • When asked about potential disadvantages, Roberson said officials hear from educators who can be reluctant to adjust lesson plans.
    Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Its federal guidance urging employers to cover fertility treatments is voluntary—so unlikely to lead to much change.
    Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
  • If the shutdown lasts through next week, the initial jobless report and the September new home sales report are unlikely.
    Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Without the guardrails and protections provided by traditional banks, who are beholden to regulators and the federal government, disaster can ensue, according to Milgram, who has long been skeptical of the private credit market.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Jeremy Davies also returns as their father, Terrence, at first skeptical as all parents are in these things but then finding his own emotional hook to give dad some real human emotion as the mystery deepens regarding his wife’s death.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • That time, a very disputable foul denied him.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Fashionistas have been swapping their skinny jeans for this roomier, more relaxed fit, but even the most trend-savvy shoppers are still hesitant to try the polarizing silhouette for themselves.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The industry may have been hesitant about a rising star who operated in two languages, but her fans weren’t.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • People hesitated, unsure of how to play with something new without looking foolish.
    Cas Holman, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2025
  • As groceries get more expensive and Americans remain unsure about their economic future, shoppers are gravitating toward a tried-and-true budget meal.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Throw away anything that looks suspicious.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Journalists tend to be the type of people who run toward suspicious scenes.
    Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dubious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dubious. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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