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
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
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
Nothing can be done, at this point, about the dubious premise that mainstream Jews and gentiles in 2020s Los Angeles occupy separate social worlds.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Justin Herbert is on pace for a dubious career high, having been sacked 20 times through the Chargers’ first seven games of the season.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Trump’s leniency toward dubious white-collar figures also extends well beyond the crypto realm.
—Evan Hughes, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dubious
Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025
Nothing can be done, at this point, about the dubious premise that mainstream Jews and gentiles in 2020s Los Angeles occupy separate social worlds.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Justin Herbert is on pace for a dubious career high, having been sacked 20 times through the Chargers’ first seven games of the season.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Trump’s leniency toward dubious white-collar figures also extends well beyond the crypto realm.
—Evan Hughes, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dubious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dubious
Adjective
-
But for Dylan, going from Jew to Jesus freak—however slack a Jew he’d been—was no more questionable or embarrassing to him than going from acoustic to electric.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
But Gates said that past investments fighting climate change have been misplaced, and too much good money has been put into expensive and questionable efforts.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Less housing as private capital is reluctant to invest.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The Muschiettis were reluctant to share details about the series’ long term future, though the book provides hints about what happened in Derry during Pennywise’s previous cycles.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Their unlikely friendship ended in February 1987, when Warhol died suddenly after a complicated gall bladder operation.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
-
While the Hong Kong listing should enhance the company’s liquidity and visibility, Zephirin added that a valuation re-rating is unlikely without meaningful gains in capital efficiency or strategy execution.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Drafted in the first round out of Texas Tech in 2017—a move that many fans were initially skeptical of—Mahomes only saw a few spot appearances before eventually taking over as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The Pfizer exec played a critical role in helping Mamdani connect with New York's skeptical business community.—
Emma Hinchliffe,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That time, a very disputable foul denied him.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But so far, the bottom rung of the corporate ladder is being most affected; employers are using AI to automate simpler, lower-level tasks, managers are hesitant to hire Gen Z professionals, and internships are dwindling.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
-
His aggressive and unpredictable tariffs have only exacerbated that, as businesses have become hesitant to hire more workers due to uncertainty.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
At 25, when half her friends ran off to marry well and the other half were hell-bent on climbing the corporate ladder, Bizu found herself in the middle, unsure whether to pursue a boyfriend or a business plan.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Ron explains that the tumor started growing back in 2018 and past doctors were unsure about how to approach such a challenging facial reconstruction.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Some impersonated tax officers to frighten British pensioners into draining their life savings into suspicious bank accounts; others peddled irresistible student loan offers to American high schoolers.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Police said officers were dispatched and arrived within two minutes of the 911 call — first reported as a suspicious event and later upgraded to a burglary in progress — and that the Criminal Investigations Bureau dedicated more than 100 investigative hours to identifying those involved.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dubious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dubious. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share