1
as in unsure
not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something
he was doubtful about the decision to complete the project despite its mounting problems
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged
the election results were highly doubtful, so an investigation was begun
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3
as in unlikely
not likely to be true or to occur
our winning the championship increasingly looks like a doubtful outcome
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4
as in disputable
open to question or dispute
a doubtful claim to the property
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of doubtful
Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (hamstring), who had slotted in at left tackle after Joe Alt’s injury, hasn’t practiced in two weeks and is listed as doubtful.
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Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
This week, center Bradley Bozeman (concussion) was listed as questionable and left tackle Jamaree Slater (hamstring) was said to be doubtful to play Sunday.
—Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 3 Jan. 2026
Freshman defensive tackle Donta Simpson is listed as doubtful.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 29 Dec. 2025
Lamar Jackson was listed as doubtful on the Ravens' injury report for their game against the Green Bay Packers this Saturday after suffering a back injury that knocked him out of the contest against the New England Patriots in Week 16.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for doubtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for doubtful
Adjective
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Ballard said his clients in the country at the time were unsure of what to do in the immediate aftermath of Maduro's capture.—
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Maduro’s supporters gathered throughout the city, many bearing arms, but seemed unsure of what to do next.—
Adjective
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The ingredient lists are often questionable, loaded with gums, stabilizers, oils, and added sugars that brands throw in to make their products taste and act like real milk.—
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Outside of those three young players and Cam Skattebo, Schoen has consistently made questionable decisions since landing in New York and has a 22-45-1 record to show for it.—
Adjective
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The team rallied to win their first Test in Australia since 2011 at the MCG in Melbourne and have now taken the final Test into a fifth day in Sydney, albeit victory looks unlikely.—
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Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, said a major drought year is unlikely given how much precipitation the state has gotten, adding that the southern part of state is seeing one of the wettest starts to any water year on record.—
Adjective
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That disputable appraisal turned a few heads, and people began peppering the bot for further remarks on Musk’s physical prowess.—
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That time, a very disputable foul denied him.—
Adjective
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While Pyongyang has conducted a series of hypersonic tests in recent years, many foreign experts remain skeptical that the weapons have achieved the necessary speed and maneuverability.—
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Braeden Johnson is also skeptical as a taxpayer, but is happy as a Kansas resident to see the team move across the state line.—
Adjective
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The reporting shows that plenty of fear and uncertainty remain over the untold billions of dollars being poured into wildly unprofitable AI ventures — a dynamic that’s seen AI companies’ valuations skyrocket to record heights, despite dubious prospects of ever turning a profit.—
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But Davis described the claims as dubious.—
Adjective
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And the idea that Denmark has it right on vaccines — even for its own population — is debatable.—
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Any others are debatable at best.—
Adjective
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The committee has called on state officials to testify in closed-door, transcribed interviews, while requesting suspicious activity reports from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, along with a staff-level briefing from the Justice Department.—
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When the publication of his article is followed by the suspicious suicide of Dale Washberg, Lee follows a trail of breadcrumbs to find out the truth.—
Cite this Entry
“Doubtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/doubtful. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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