doubt 1 of 2

doubt

2 of 2

verb

as in to question
to have no trust or confidence in I doubt that you can do all that you say

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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.
Recent Examples of doubt
Noun
Between the two locations, parking at Pizza Baby West, located in the Wesley Heights neighborhood, is easier, without a doubt. Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 16 Jan. 2025 Long story short, the Path Of Exile community and some of its content creators cast major doubts on the veracity of Musk’s claims based on his character and his gameplay. Erik Kain, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
Even with a down payment secured with the sale of Mr. Kinney’s Clark home, the couple began to doubt their chances after visiting more than a dozen listings. Addie Morfoot, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025 Many doubt Musk’s true intentions in taking the reins of DOGE. Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for doubt 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doubt
Noun
  • Trump's nominee for Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, suggested peace negotiations could happen within 100 days, but skepticism remains high among European allies.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
  • This meteoric rise has sparked debates, excitement, and skepticism across the crypto ecosystem.
    Sandy Carter, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Democrats have questioned Kennedy’s qualifications for the role based on his past statements and unorthodox view of medicine.
    Chantelle Lee, TIME, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Instead of questioning or challenging this new age of nationalism, Washington has contributed to it.
    Michael Brenes, Foreign Affairs, 28 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Privy to his suspicions and intentions is a mysterious gardener who seems to come out of nowhere with myriad solutions to our hero’s problems.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025
  • After analyzing the videos, the team confirmed their suspicions: When one chimp started peeing, others quickly followed suit.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Detectives do not suspect foul play, and the cause of death is pending autopsy results, Linhardt said.
    David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
  • In early January, an outbreak of bird flu was suspected of causing the death of Canada geese, swans and other birds in Plymouth.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • However, there is some uncertainty about the credit entering Trump’s second term as his signature tax legislation is set to expire at the end of 2025.
    Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Final Thoughts The chaos of the weekend's social media events left creators grappling with uncertainty.
    Katie Salcius, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near doubt

Cite this Entry

“Doubt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doubt. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

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