Standard Lemma guide

doubtful

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /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