questionable

adjective

ques·​tion·​able ˈkwes-chə-nə-bəl 

ˈkwesh-

in rapid speech ˈkwesh-nə-

1

obsolete : inviting inquiry

2

obsolete : liable to judicial inquiry or action

3

: affording reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged : not certain or exact : problematic

milk of questionable purity

a questionable decision

4

: attended by well-grounded suspicions of being immoral, crude, false, or unsound : dubious

questionable motives

questionableness noun

questionably

ˈkwes-chə-nə-blē 

ˈkwesh-

in rapid speech ˈkwesh-nə-

adverb

Synonyms of questionable

• dubious
• disputable
• problematic
• debatable
• suspicious
• doubtful
• suspect

Choose the Right Synonym for questionable

doubtful, dubious, problematic, questionable mean not affording assurance of the worth, soundness, or certainty of something.

doubtful implies little more than a lack of conviction or certainty.

doubtful about whether I said the right thing

dubious stresses suspicion, mistrust, or hesitation.

dubious about the practicality of the scheme

problematic applies especially to things whose existence, meaning, fulfillment, or realization is highly uncertain.

whether the project will ever be finished is problematic

questionable may imply no more than the existence of doubt but usually suggests that the suspicions are well-grounded.

a man of questionable honesty

Examples of questionable in a Sentence

The truth of the statements was highly questionable.

The water available in the village is of questionable quality.

a man of questionable character

They acquired the money through questionable means.

The company is facing a questionable future.

Recent Examples on the Web

The opportunities for Democrats to do that are more questionable to my mind. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 15 May 2026

The governor is recommending increasing monthly premiums for some immigrants, including those with questionable or no legal status, to $50 and reinstating Medi-Cal asset limits for seniors and disabled adults, among other changes. —Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026

Collectively, the report claims that a years-long pattern of questionable purchases raises the possibility of criminal or civil liability not only for whoever made the purchases, but for those who approved them. —Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026

Other legal issues for Hunger Busters The I-Team's investigation found other questionable financial decisions under Phillips' leadership. —Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 13 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for questionable

• unquestionable

Kids Definition

questionable

adjective

ques·​tion·​able ˈkwes-chə-nə-bəl 

ˈkwesh-

1

: open to doubt, question, or challenge : not certain or exact

milk of questionable purity

a questionable decision

2

: believed to be bad, false, or unsound : dubious

questionable motives

questionably

-blē 

adverb