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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (hamstring), who had slotted in at left tackle after Joe Alt’s injury, hasn’t practiced in two weeks and is listed as doubtful.
—
Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
This week, center Bradley Bozeman (concussion) was listed as questionable and left tackle Jamaree Slater (hamstring) was said to be doubtful to play Sunday.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 3 Jan. 2026
Freshman defensive tackle Donta Simpson is listed as doubtful.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Dec. 2025
Lamar Jackson was listed as doubtful on the Ravens' injury report for their game against the Green Bay Packers this Saturday after suffering a back injury that knocked him out of the contest against the New England Patriots in Week 16.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for doubtful
Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
This week, center Bradley Bozeman (concussion) was listed as questionable and left tackle Jamaree Slater (hamstring) was said to be doubtful to play Sunday.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 3 Jan. 2026
Freshman defensive tackle Donta Simpson is listed as doubtful.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Dec. 2025
Lamar Jackson was listed as doubtful on the Ravens' injury report for their game against the Green Bay Packers this Saturday after suffering a back injury that knocked him out of the contest against the New England Patriots in Week 16.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for doubtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doubtful
Adjective
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Ballard said his clients in the country at the time were unsure of what to do in the immediate aftermath of Maduro's capture.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
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Maduro’s supporters gathered throughout the city, many bearing arms, but seemed unsure of what to do next.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The ingredient lists are often questionable, loaded with gums, stabilizers, oils, and added sugars that brands throw in to make their products taste and act like real milk.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 Jan. 2026
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Outside of those three young players and Cam Skattebo, Schoen has consistently made questionable decisions since landing in New York and has a 22-45-1 record to show for it.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The move marks a departure from past administrations, which have typically moved quickly to open Justice Department civil rights reviews of fatal encounters involving law enforcement, even when criminal charges were considered unlikely.—
Greg Wehner , Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
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The Oval Office’s plan to force the Fed into submission is unlikely to work, Wall Street believes.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That disputable appraisal turned a few heads, and people began peppering the bot for further remarks on Musk’s physical prowess.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
20 Nov. 2025
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That time, a very disputable foul denied him.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Others are more skeptical about whether Greenland’s critical and rare earth minerals can significantly reduce the West’s dependence on China, which produced 70% of rare earths in 2024, according to Statista.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
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Told of the contamination by the Free Press, Oquendo was skeptical that it was contaminated.—
Violet Ikonomova,
Freep.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Progress updates are posted on his restaurant’s Facebook page, and reactions range from supportive to dubious.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
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In addition to the excess and sometimes dubious roof claims in Colorado, the condominiums are uniquely burdened by a shortage of companies offering insurance policies to multi-unit dwellings, especially in large complexes that require multi-million dollar policies with complex terms.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In straight-line acceleration, the outcome was no longer debatable.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
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That’s definitely debatable, especially regarding the former.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The committee has called on state officials to testify in closed-door, transcribed interviews, while requesting suspicious activity reports from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, along with a staff-level briefing from the Justice Department.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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When the publication of his article is followed by the suspicious suicide of Dale Washberg, Lee follows a trail of breadcrumbs to find out the truth.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Doubtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doubtful. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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