1
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged
any letter bearing the signature of Geronimo would be of dubious authenticity, to say the least
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reluctant
slow to begin or proceed with a course of action because of doubts or uncertainty
I'm dubious about our plan to go hang gliding without having had any training
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unlikely
not likely to be true or to occur
made the dubious claim of being of royal blood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in skeptical
not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something
dubious about a diet that claims I can eat all I want and still lose weight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dubious
Siragusa’s account of bleeding after being repeatedly hit by the robbers seemed especially dubious when Siragusa live streamed the day after the robbery and appeared to have no visible injuries or stitches.
—
Patricia Hernandez, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Trump weighs in on Department of Education cuts As the U.S. Department of Education shrinks following massive layoffs at the agency, President Donald Trump and his allies continue to make dubious claims about the agency and education in the country.
—Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2025
Recent antagonism toward the government workforce, however, has targeted a particular type: the office-dweller, the laptop-user, the knowledge worker who is possibly remote, possibly dead, whose products are indeterminate and, therefore, of dubious value.
—Charlie Tyson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
During his long television career, Oz's promotion of dubious health products has gotten him into hot water.
—Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dubious
Patricia Hernandez, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2025
Trump weighs in on Department of Education cuts As the U.S. Department of Education shrinks following massive layoffs at the agency, President Donald Trump and his allies continue to make dubious claims about the agency and education in the country.
—Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 14 Mar. 2025
Recent antagonism toward the government workforce, however, has targeted a particular type: the office-dweller, the laptop-user, the knowledge worker who is possibly remote, possibly dead, whose products are indeterminate and, therefore, of dubious value.
—Charlie Tyson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
During his long television career, Oz's promotion of dubious health products has gotten him into hot water.
—Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dubious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dubious
Adjective
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Burks had been questionable earlier in the day due to back discomfort.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2025
-
The star guard was listed as questionable for this game against the Pelicans and will make his return to the court.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Teams have been reluctant to make long-term investments in power-hitting first basemen, particularly over the age of 30.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2025
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Many corporate leaders have thus far been reluctant to openly criticize the Trump Administration's agenda.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The duo had previously used a similar approach to show that convection was unlikely within the mantle of Mercury, a world that is too small and has cooled down too much since its formation some 4.5 billion years ago.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
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New natural gas production is unlikely to expand significantly until more liquefaction infrastructure is completed and takeaway capacity improves.—
Steven Dudash,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But many scientists were skeptical whether the technique would pay off.—
Shi En Kim,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 Apr. 2025
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However, many remain skeptical that any real clarity is coming anytime soon.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Initially, many older women are hesitant to attempt these higher-impact movements due to osteopenia or osteoporosis.—
Melanie Curry,
People.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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The Hotline is hesitant to draw conclusions on the future of the little guys in the Big Dance — the sample size is small — but NIL and the transfer portal are worrisome for that subset of Division I. Winner: Houston.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Anyone who was at either of the Grapevine locations March 28-30 and is unvaccinated or unsure of their vaccination status is at risk of contracting measles, Tarrant officials said.—
Matt Leclercq,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2025
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But with how Trump’s plans are ever-changing, Metzgar is unsure if anything will remain a safe bet.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At least 11 cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea within 15 months, the alliance heavily suspicious of Russian influence.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
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The only giveaway is the web address, which often uses suspicious or misspelled domains.—
Alex Vakulov,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Cunningham, meanwhile, was doubtful to suit up through a left calf contusion.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2025
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One day after being listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns with a left ankle sprain, Tatum was upgraded to questionable.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dubious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dubious. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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