dubious
Americanadjective
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doubtful; marked by or occasioning doubt.
a dubious reply.
-
of doubtful quality or propriety; questionable.
a dubious compliment; a dubious transaction.
-
of uncertain outcome.
in dubious battle.
-
wavering or hesitating in opinion; inclined to doubt.
adjective
-
marked by or causing doubt
a dubious reply
-
unsettled in mind; uncertain; doubtful
-
of doubtful quality; untrustworthy
a dubious reputation
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not certain in outcome
Related Words
See doubtful.
Other Word Forms
- dubiously adverb
- dubiousness noun
- superdubious adjective
- superdubiously adverb
- superdubiousness noun
- undubious adjective
- undubiously adverb
- undubiousness noun
Etymology
Origin of dubious
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin dubius; doubt ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The HHS website will in effect crowd-source investigations that can flag dubious or suspicious spending.
Aunt Melissa gives me a dubious look but returns to her walnuts.
From Literature
Others came to sell a story through somewhat more dubious means.
From Literature
There also has been a flood of new listings on U.S. stock exchanges in recent years—mostly on Nasdaq—by obscure overseas companies with dubious financial prospects.
Many other smaller countries that see the U.N. as the main international forum where they can exercise influence are at least as dubious.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
