adj · noun · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈdaʊtfəl/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:D AW1 T F AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Subject to, or causing doubt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Experiencing or showing doubt, skeptical.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Undecided or of uncertain outcome.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Fearsome, dreadful.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Improbable or unlikely.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Suspicious, or of dubious character.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adj
Meaning 7
Unclear or unreliable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A doubtful person or thing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
adjective satellite
Meaning 9
fraught with uncertainty or doubt
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they were doubtful that the cord would hold
it was doubtful whether she would be admitted
dubious about agreeing to go
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dubious
Antonyms: none provided
10
adjective satellite
Meaning 10
open to doubt or suspicion- Karen Horney
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the candidate's doubtful past
he has a dubious record indeed
what one found uncertain the other found dubious or downright false
it was more than dubitable whether the friend was as influential as she thought
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dubious, dubitable, in question(p)
Antonyms: none provided
11
adjective satellite
Meaning 11
unsettled in mind or opinion
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
drew a few tentative conclusions
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: tentative
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English doutfull, douteful, equivalent to doubt + -ful.
Across languages
Translations
90 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
երկբայելի
(erkbayeli)
— subject to, or causing doubt
Armenian:
կասկածելի
(kaskaceli)
— subject to, or causing doubt
Azerbaijani:
şübhəli
— subject to, or causing doubt
Bulgarian:
съмнителен
(sǎmnitelen)
— subject to, or causing doubt
Catalan:
dubtós
— subject to, or causing doubt
Finnish:
epäilyttävä
— subject to, or causing doubt
French:
douteux
— subject to, or causing doubt
French:
douteuse
— subject to, or causing doubt
Georgian:
საეჭვო
(saeč̣vo)
— subject to, or causing doubt
Georgian:
სათუო
(satuo)
— subject to, or causing doubt
German:
zweifelhaft
— subject to, or causing doubt
Greek:
αμφίβολος
(amfívolos)
— subject to, or causing doubt
Hindi:
संदेहास्पद
(sandehāspad)
— subject to, or causing doubt
Hungarian:
kétséges
— subject to, or causing doubt
Irish:
dabhtúil
— subject to, or causing doubt
Italian:
dubbio
— subject to, or causing doubt
Latin:
dubius
— subject to, or causing doubt
Māori:
kārangirangi
— subject to, or causing doubt
Māori:
pōkaku
— subject to, or causing doubt
Māori:
hokirua
— subject to, or causing doubt
Norman:
douteux
— subject to, or causing doubt
Portuguese:
duvidoso
— subject to, or causing doubt
Portuguese:
dúbio
— subject to, or causing doubt
Romanian:
dubios
— subject to, or causing doubt
Romanian:
îndoielnic
— subject to, or causing doubt
Russian:
сомни́тельный
(somnítelʹnyj)
— subject to, or causing doubt
Scottish Gaelic:
mì-chinnteach
— subject to, or causing doubt
Spanish:
dudoso
— subject to, or causing doubt
Telugu:
సంశయాత్మకమైన
(saṁśayātmakamaina)
— subject to, or causing doubt
Tocharian B:
klänkarṣke
— subject to, or causing doubt
Ottoman Turkish:
شبههلو
(şübheli)
— subject to, or causing doubt
Armenian:
կասկածամիտ
(kaskacamit)
— experiencing or showing doubt
Armenian:
թերահավատ
(tʻerahavat)
— experiencing or showing doubt
Armenian:
երկբայելի
(erkbayeli)
— experiencing or showing doubt
Armenian:
կասկածելի
(kaskaceli)
— experiencing or showing doubt
Azerbaijani:
şübhələnən
— experiencing or showing doubt
Azerbaijani:
şəkli
— experiencing or showing doubt
Bulgarian:
съмняващ се
(sǎmnjavašt se)
— experiencing or showing doubt
Catalan:
dubtós
— experiencing or showing doubt
Danish:
tvivlende
— experiencing or showing doubt
Danish:
usikker
— experiencing or showing doubt
Finnish:
epävarma
— experiencing or showing doubt
Finnish:
epäilevä
— experiencing or showing doubt
German:
zweifelnd
— experiencing or showing doubt
Hanunoo:
pangalangan
— experiencing or showing doubt
Hindi:
संदेहास्पद
(sandehāspad)
— experiencing or showing doubt
Irish:
amhrasach
— experiencing or showing doubt
Italian:
discutibile
— experiencing or showing doubt
Latin:
dubitabundus
— experiencing or showing doubt
Norwegian Bokmål:
tvilende
— experiencing or showing doubt
Norwegian Nynorsk:
tvilande
— experiencing or showing doubt
Portuguese:
incerto
— experiencing or showing doubt
Russian:
сомнева́ющийся
(somnevájuščijsja)
— experiencing or showing doubt
Scottish Gaelic:
mì-chinnteach
— experiencing or showing doubt
Telugu:
సంశయాత్మకమైన
(saṁśayātmakamaina)
— experiencing or showing doubt
Bulgarian:
несигурен
(nesiguren)
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Danish:
tvivlsom
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Finnish:
epävarma
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
German:
zweifelhaft
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Hungarian:
kétséges
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Italian:
incerto
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Māori:
hokirua
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Māori:
taupetupetu
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Eastern Mari:
ала
(ala)
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Portuguese:
incerto
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Russian:
сомни́тельный
(somnítelʹnyj)
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Scottish Gaelic:
mì-chinnteach
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Telugu:
సంశయాత్మకమైన
(saṁśayātmakamaina)
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Ottoman Turkish:
شبههلو
(şübheli)
— undecided or of uncertain outcome
Bulgarian:
невероятен
(neverojaten)
— improbable or unlikely
Danish:
tvivlsom
— improbable or unlikely
Finnish:
epätodennäköinen
— improbable or unlikely
German:
zweifelhaft
— improbable or unlikely
Italian:
improbabile
— improbable or unlikely
Eastern Mari:
ала
(ala)
— improbable or unlikely
Portuguese:
duvidoso
— improbable or unlikely
Russian:
сомни́тельный
(somnítelʹnyj)
— improbable or unlikely
Spanish:
dudoso
— improbable or unlikely
Telugu:
సంశయాత్మకమైన
(saṁśayātmakamaina)
— improbable or unlikely
Bulgarian:
подозрителен
(podozritelen)
— suspicious, or of dubious character
Czech:
pochybný
— suspicious, or of dubious character
Danish:
tvivlsom
— suspicious, or of dubious character
Finnish:
epäilyttävä
— suspicious, or of dubious character
Finnish:
arveluttava
— suspicious, or of dubious character
Finnish:
kyseenalainen
— suspicious, or of dubious character
German:
zweifelhaft
— suspicious, or of dubious character
Hungarian:
kétes
— suspicious, or of dubious character
Italian:
sospetto
— suspicious, or of dubious character
Telugu:
సంశయాత్మకమైన
(saṁśayātmakamaina)
— suspicious, or of dubious character
Ottoman Turkish:
شبههلو
(şübheli)
— suspicious, or of dubious character