1
as in unsure
not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something
he was doubtful about the decision to complete the project despite its mounting problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged
the election results were highly doubtful, so an investigation was begun
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unlikely
not likely to be true or to occur
our winning the championship increasingly looks like a doubtful outcome
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in disputable
open to question or dispute
a doubtful claim to the property
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of doubtful
Minnesota did it without MVP front-runner and leading scorer Napheesa Collier, who is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game with a right ankle sprain.
—
Aaron Tolentino, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
As for erasing aging altogether, Hinton is doubtful.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Most are doubtful peace is near While more than two-thirds of Ukrainians desire a settlement, about the same share believe this goal will not be achieved in the near term.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2025
Campaign decision doubtful before Labor Day Tiffany has pushed back his timeline for launching a campaign for governor and now plans to announce his decision in the next 30 to 60 days.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for doubtful
Aaron Tolentino, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
As for erasing aging altogether, Hinton is doubtful.
—Ron Schmelzer, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Most are doubtful peace is near While more than two-thirds of Ukrainians desire a settlement, about the same share believe this goal will not be achieved in the near term.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2025
Campaign decision doubtful before Labor Day Tiffany has pushed back his timeline for launching a campaign for governor and now plans to announce his decision in the next 30 to 60 days.
—Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for doubtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doubtful
Adjective
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The footage revealed a canine still deeply affected by past experiences, unsure of his safety even outdoors, and in the company of his new owner.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Her team feels valued but adrift, unsure what matters most.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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One reason for the lack of attention to the risk of elder abuse is that it is often assumed that tracking and monitoring older family members is lawful, even if perhaps ethically questionable.—
Nina A. Kohn,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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His defense is questionable at times, but his bat makes up for it on a nightly basis.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The comedic murder-mystery series following three unlikely neighbors — Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) — who bond over their obsession with true crime podcasts.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
9 Sep. 2025
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The upshot is that France’s fiscal mess is unlikely to be fixed anytime soon.—
Saskya Vandoorne,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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That time, a very disputable foul denied him.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Gustafson is skeptical, but certain.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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The elaborateness of these explanations, in Frank’s view, is a reason to be skeptical of them.—
Matthew Hutson,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Many in Hollywood were dubious as to whether Universal and Amblin could reboot the Jurassic franchise for a third time, and birth a new trilogy more than three decades after Steven Spielberg’s dinos first stomped onto the big screen in 1993’s Jurassic Park.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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Besides there being considerable variation in terms of COVID-19 vaccine policy among our peers, which makes claims about alignment dubious, there’s the issue of insurance coverage.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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How long the Tigers last in the playoffs is certainly debatable.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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The game's overall quality is debatable; what isn't is its profound impact on pro football.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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These advanced capabilities can detect an individual crossing a virtual boundary, expose suspicious loitering or unusual motion patterns across vast areas and even recognize unknown faces in high-security zones.—
Michael Evanoff,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
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The 63-year-old Plainfield man died from drowning but the manner of his suspicious death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’ office.—
Christy Gutowski,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Doubtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doubtful. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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