doubt

[ dout ]

verb (used with object)

1. to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe:

   The police have good reason to doubt his alibi.

   Synonyms: question, suspect, mistrust

2. to distrust; regard with suspicion:

   I doubted the salesman, so we decided to check with other dealers.

   Synonyms: question, suspect, mistrust

3. Archaic. to fear; be apprehensive about.

verb (used without object)

1. to be uncertain about something; be undecided in opinion or belief:

   The priest told me that it was normal to doubt, but encouraged me to nurture my faith.

noun

1. a feeling of uncertainty about the truth, reality, or nature of something:

   We all had our doubts about your mysterious Canadian girlfriend since no one has ever seen her in person.

   Synonyms: irresolution, indecision

2. distrust or suspicion:

   Voters naturally held some doubt about the abrupt change in policy direction issued by city hall.

3. a general feeling of uncertainty, worry, or concern: Set your doubts aside, and listen to my business idea with an open mind.

   As soon as I'd dropped out of school to become a full-time musician, I was full of doubt—what if I’d made a terrible mistake?

   Set your doubts aside, and listen to my business idea with an open mind.

4. a state of affairs such as to occasion uncertainty.
5. Obsolete. fear; dread.

doubt

/ daʊt /

noun

1. uncertainty about the truth, fact, or existence of something (esp in the phrases in doubt, without doubt, beyond a shadow of doubt, etc)
2. often plural lack of belief in or conviction about something

   all his doubts about the project disappeared

3. an unresolved difficulty, point, etc
4. philosophy the methodical device, esp in the philosophy of Descartes, of identifying certain knowledge as the residue after rejecting any proposition which might, however improbably, be false
5. obsolete.
   fear
6. give someone the benefit of the doubt
   to presume someone suspected of guilt to be innocent; judge leniently
7. no doubt
   almost certainly

verb

1. tr; may take a clause as object to be inclined to disbelieve

   I doubt we are late

2. tr to distrust or be suspicious of

   he doubted their motives

3. intr to feel uncertainty or be undecided
4. tr; may take a clause as object to be inclined to believe
5. archaic.
   tr to fear
6. I wouldn't doubt someone
   I would expect nothing else from someone

Usage Note

Doubt and doubtful may be followed by a subordinate clause beginning with that, whether, or if: I doubt that (or whether or if ) the story is true. It is doubtful that (or whether or if ) the story is true. There is some doubt that (or whether or if ) the story is true. In negative or interrogative sentences, that almost always introduces the subordinate clause: I do not doubt that the story is true. Is it doubtful that the story is true? Is there any doubt that the story is true? The expressions doubt but and doubt but that occur in all varieties of standard speech and writing: I don't doubt but she is sincere. There is no doubt but that the charges will affect his career. Doubt but what occurs mainly in informal speech and writing: There is no doubt but what the rainy weather will hurt the crops.

Usage

Where a clause follows doubt in a positive sentence, it was formerly considered correct to use whether ( I doubt whether he will come ), but now if and that are also acceptable. In negative statements, doubt is followed by that: I do not doubt that he is telling the truth. In such sentences, but ( I do not doubt but that he is telling the truth ) is redundant

Derived Forms

• ˈdoubtably, adverb
• ˈdoubtingly, adverb
• ˈdoubter, noun
• ˈdoubtable, adjective

Other Words From

• doubt·a·ble adjective
• doubt·a·bly adverb
• doubt·er noun
• doubt·ing·ly adverb
• doubt·ing·ness noun
• non·doubt·a·ble adjective
• non·doubt·er noun
• non·doubt·ing adjective
• non·doubt·ing·ly adverb
• o·ver·doubt verb (used with object)
• pre·doubt noun verb
• pre·doubt·er noun
• un·doubt·a·ble adjective
• un·doubt·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of doubt¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb douten, duten, doubten, from Old French douter, doter “to doubt, be doubtful,” from Latin dubitāre “to waver, hesitate, be uncertain” (frequentative of Old Latin dubāre ), equivalent to dub- “doubt” + -it- frequentative suffix + -āre infinitive suffix; noun derivative of the verb. The -b- first appears between 1420–30 in imitation of Latin dubit-

Word History and Origins

Origin of doubt¹

C13: from Old French douter, from Latin dubitāre

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. beyond a / the shadow of a doubt, with certainty; definitely. Also beyond a doubt, beyond doubt.
2. in doubt, in a state of uncertainty or suspense:

   His appointment to the position is still in doubt.

3. no doubt,
   1. probably.
   2. certainly:

      There is no doubt an element of truth in what you say.

4. without doubt, unquestionably; certainly.

More idioms and phrases containing doubt

see beyond a doubt ; cast doubt on ; give the benefit of the doubt ; no doubt ; shadow of a doubt .

Example Sentences

When a case goes to trial, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty.

From BBC

Ukrainian politicians, from President Zelensky on down, seem keen to give Trump the benefit of the doubt.

From BBC

"There is no doubt that this man, our leader, put his head on the block... He has put his head there, now it is time to vote. Give us a little trust," he said.

From BBC

But international lawyers have expressed doubts over whether either man will ever be brought to The Hague for trial.

From BBC

However, when he joined the club, there were doubts about his long-term suitability to replace Fernandinho.

From BBC

Related Words

• ambiguity
• apprehension
• confusion
• difficulty
• disbelief
• distrust
• fear
• hesitation
• misgiving
• mistrust
• problem
• qualm
• reluctance
• skepticism
• suspense
• suspicion
• uncertainty