the benefit of the doubt
noun phrase
: the state of accepting something/someone as honest or deserving of trust even though there are doubts
He might be lying, but we have to give him the benefit of the doubt and accept what he says for now.
Examples of the benefit of the doubt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And now the benefit of the doubt has been taken away.
—
Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Emotionally secure people generously give others the benefit of the doubt.
—Jessica Weiss, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2026
Tiger Woods is no longer getting the benefit of the doubt.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The Ravens won’t get the benefit of the doubt, either, because they’ve been involved in similar situations before, albeit with far less accomplished players.
—Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the benefit of the doubt
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Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Emotionally secure people generously give others the benefit of the doubt.
—Jessica Weiss, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2026
Tiger Woods is no longer getting the benefit of the doubt.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The Ravens won’t get the benefit of the doubt, either, because they’ve been involved in similar situations before, albeit with far less accomplished players.
—Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the benefit of the doubt
Cite this Entry
“The benefit of the doubt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20benefit%20of%20the%20doubt. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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