Dubious — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈdü-bē-əs/ du·bi·ous

Meaning & Definition of Dubious

Dubious (adjective)

  1. unsettled in opinion, doubtful
  2. giving rise to uncertainty
  3. of doubtful promise or outcome

Dubious (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: debatable, disputable, dodgy (chiefly British), doubtable, doubtful, dubitable, equivocal, fishy, problematic, queer, questionable, shady, shaky, suspect, suspicious
    related: alleged, so-called, supposed, moot, ambiguous, open, unclear, uncertain, undecided, undetermined, far-fetched, flimsy, improbable, unlikely, weak
    opposite: certain, hands-down, incontestable, indisputable, indubitable, questionless, sure, undeniable, undoubted, unproblematic, unquestionable
    near: decisive, definitive, clear, obvious, open-and-shut, positive

  2. 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"

    similar: cagey, disinclined, hesitant, indisposed, loath, reluctant, reticent
    related: uneager, unenthusiastic, averse, unwilling, ambivalent, conflicted, doubtful, faltering, halting, indecisive, infirm, irresolute, questioning, skeptical, uncertain, undecided, unsure, vacillating, wobbly, fainthearted, shy, timid
    opposite: disposed, inclined
    near: eager, enthusiastic, glad, happy, keen, ready, willing, certain, decided, determined, resolute, sure, unquestioning

  3. not likely to be true or to occur

    "made the dubious claim of being of royal blood"

    similar: doubtful, far-fetched, flimsy, improbable, questionable, unapt, unlikely
    related: implausible, impossible, inconceivable, incredible, unbelievable, unimaginable, unthinkable, absurd, bizarre, crazy, fantastic, foolish, insane, nonsensical, odd, outlandish, preposterous, ridiculous, unreal, wild, outside, remote, slight
    opposite: likely, probable
    near: believable, conceivable, credible, earthly, imaginable, plausible, possible, potential, liable

  4. 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"

    similar: distrustful, doubtful, hinky (slang), mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, trustless, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unsettled, unsure, on the fence
    related: ambivalent, conflicted, equivocal, diffident, insecure, halting, hesitant, indecisive, irresolute, vacillating, wavering
    opposite: certain, convinced, positive, sure
    near: assured, confident, sanguine, self-assured, decisive, determined, resolute

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dubious

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dubious:

Chiefly British: dodgy
Slang: hinky
debatable, disputable, doubtable, doubtful, dubitable, equivocal, fishy, problematic, queer, questionable, shady, shaky, suspect, suspicious, cagey, disinclined, hesitant, indisposed, loath, reluctant, reticent, far-fetched, flimsy, improbable, unapt, unlikely, distrustful, mistrustful, skeptical, trustless, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unsettled, unsure, on the fence

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Dubious

Words with the opposite meaning of Dubious:

certain, hands-down, incontestable, indisputable, indubitable, questionless, sure, undeniable, undoubted, unproblematic, unquestionable, disposed, inclined, likely, probable, convinced, positive

Related Words for Dubious

alleged, so-called, supposed, moot, ambiguous, open, unclear, undetermined, weak, uneager, unenthusiastic, averse, unwilling, ambivalent, conflicted, faltering, halting, indecisive, infirm, irresolute, questioning, vacillating, wobbly, fainthearted, shy, timid, implausible, impossible, inconceivable, incredible

Near Antonyms of Dubious

decisive, definitive, clear, obvious, open-and-shut, eager, enthusiastic, glad, happy, keen, ready, willing, decided, determined, resolute, unquestioning, believable, conceivable, credible, earthly, imaginable, plausible, possible, potential, liable, assured, confident, sanguine, self-assured

Word Forms of Dubious

Derived words: dubiously (adverb), dubiousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Dubious

Latin dubius, from dubare to vacillate; akin to Latin duo two two

First known use: 1548

Frequently Asked Questions about Dubious

What does "Dubious" mean?

"Dubious" means unsettled in opinion, doubtful. As an adjective, it is defined as: unsettled in opinion, doubtful. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dubious"?

Other words for "Dubious" include debatable, disputable, dodgy, doubtable, doubtful, dubitable, equivocal and fishy. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dubious" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dubious"?

There are 90 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dubious". Common alternatives include debatable, disputable, dodgy, doubtable, doubtful, dubitable, equivocal, fishy, problematic and queer.

What is the opposite of "Dubious"?

Antonyms of "Dubious" include certain, hands-down, incontestable, indisputable, indubitable, questionless, sure and undeniable. Near antonyms include decisive, definitive, clear and obvious.

How do you use "Dubious" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dubious" in a sentence: "any letter bearing the signature of Geronimo would be of dubious authenticity, to say the least"; "I'm dubious about our plan to go hang gliding without having had any training"; "made the dubious claim of being of royal blood".

Is "Dubious" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dubious" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Dubious"?

"Dubious" is pronounced /ˈdü-bē-əs/ and divided into syllables as du·bi·ous.

What is the origin of the word "Dubious"?

"Dubious" comes from Latin dubius, from dubare to vacillate; akin to Latin duo two two. First known use: 1548.