questionable

adjective

ques·​tion·​able ˈkwes-chə-nə-bəl How to pronounce questionable (audio)
ˈkwesh-,
 in rapid speech  ˈkwesh-nə-
1
obsolete : inviting inquiry
2
obsolete : liable to judicial inquiry or action
3
: affording reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged : not certain or exact : problematic
milk of questionable purity
a questionable decision
4
: attended by well-grounded suspicions of being immoral, crude, false, or unsound : dubious
questionable motives
questionableness noun
questionably
ˈkwes-chə-nə-blē How to pronounce questionable (audio)
ˈkwesh-
 in rapid speech  ˈkwesh-nə-
adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for questionable

doubtful, dubious, problematic, questionable mean not affording assurance of the worth, soundness, or certainty of something.

doubtful implies little more than a lack of conviction or certainty.

doubtful about whether I said the right thing

dubious stresses suspicion, mistrust, or hesitation.

dubious about the practicality of the scheme

problematic applies especially to things whose existence, meaning, fulfillment, or realization is highly uncertain.

whether the project will ever be finished is problematic

questionable may imply no more than the existence of doubt but usually suggests that the suspicions are well-grounded.

a man of questionable honesty

Examples of questionable in a Sentence

The truth of the statements was highly questionable. The water available in the village is of questionable quality. a man of questionable character They acquired the money through questionable means. The company is facing a questionable future.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel (rib, oblique) and defensive end Nick Bosa (hip) also will suit up after being listed as questionable and limited in practice. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024 What was new and different Friday was that Mack was listed as questionable to play Sunday for the Chargers (5-3) against the Tennessee Titans (2-6) because of a groin injury. Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 8 Nov. 2024 But Trump has embraced a curious menagerie of B-list rappers and questionable influencers thought to hold sway among young Black men. The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024 Coco Gauff has spoken out about her reservations about playing in a country that has a questionable record on human rights, although Riyadh has a three-year contract to host the Finals up until 2026. Tim Ellis, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for questionable 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of questionable was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near questionable

Cite this Entry

“Questionable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/questionable. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

questionable

adjective
ques·​tion·​able ˈkwes-chə-nə-bəl How to pronounce questionable (audio)
ˈkwesh-
1
: open to doubt, question, or challenge : not certain or exact
milk of questionable purity
a questionable decision
2
: believed to be bad, false, or unsound : dubious
questionable motives
questionably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on questionable

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