Synonyms of doubt

doubt 1 of 2

noun

as in skepticism

a feeling or attitude that one does not know the truth, truthfulness, or trustworthiness of someone or something

from the beginning I had my doubts about the investment scheme

Synonyms & Similar Words

• skepticism
• suspicion
• uncertainty
• concern
• distrust
• disbelief
• mistrust
• misdoubt
• reservation
• misgiving
• dubiety
• query
• incertitude
• dubitation
• distrustfulness
• mistrustfulness
• paranoia
• incredulity
• anxiety
• unbelief
• qualm
• wariness
• compunction
• scruple
• tremor
• niggle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• trust
• belief
• confidence
• certainty
• conviction
• assurance
• surety
• faith
• certitude
• sureness
• credence

doubt

2 of 2

verb

ˈdau̇t 

as in to question

to have no trust or confidence in

I doubt that you can do all that you say

Synonyms & Similar Words

• question
• suspect
• distrust
• mistrust
• misdoubt
• disbelieve
• discredit
• discount
• negate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• trust
• depend (on or upon)
• rely (on or upon)
• count (on or upon)
• bank (on or upon)

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun doubt differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of doubt are dubiety, mistrust, skepticism, suspicion, and uncertainty. While all these words mean "lack of sureness about someone or something," doubt suggests both uncertainty and inability to make a decision.

plagued by doubts as to what to do

When might dubiety be a better fit than doubt?

The synonyms dubiety and doubt are sometimes interchangeable, but dubiety stresses a wavering between conclusions.

felt some dubiety about its practicality

When could mistrust be used to replace doubt?

The meanings of mistrust and doubt largely overlap; however, mistrust implies a genuine doubt based upon suspicion.

had a great mistrust of doctors

When would skepticism be a good substitute for doubt?

The words skepticism and doubt can be used in similar contexts, but skepticism implies unwillingness to believe without conclusive evidence.

an economic forecast greeted with skepticism

When is suspicion a more appropriate choice than doubt?

Although the words suspicion and doubt have much in common, suspicion stresses lack of faith in the truth, reality, fairness, or reliability of something or someone.

regarded the stranger with suspicion

When is it sensible to use uncertainty instead of doubt?

In some situations, the words uncertainty and doubt are roughly equivalent. However, uncertainty may range from a falling short of certainty to an almost complete lack of conviction or knowledge especially about an outcome or result.

assumed the role of manager without hesitation or uncertainty

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of doubt

Noun

There’s little doubt the NFL has been aggressive in carving out new packages with different streaming services to maximize revenue and potentially groom new media partners to buy the rights to more games down the road. —Alex Sherman, CNBC, 1 May 2025

This week's data from both countries point in a different direction—one that could raise doubts about who's paying the higher price so far. —Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025

Verb

World & Nation Trump expresses doubts Putin is willing to end the Ukraine war, a day after saying a deal was close April 26, 2025 Up until now, Putin had refused to accept a complete unconditional ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies to Ukraine and Ukraine’s mobilization effort. —Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025

Nobody doubts that Saturn’s moon Enceladus, which is also tidally heated, contains an underground saltwater ocean; the Cassini spacecraft not only detected signs of its existence but directly sampled some of it erupting out of the moon’s South Pole. —Robin George Andrews, Quanta Magazine, 25 Apr. 2025