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Definition of dubious

dubious

/ˈduːbiəs/
du · bi · ous
Adverb:dubiously
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dubious Lexical Profile

dubious Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Not to be relied upon; suspect or of questionable value, quality, or validity.

Example

"The historian dismissed the manuscript after discovering its dubious provenance."

2

Hesitating or doubting; feeling uncertain or unconvinced about an outcome or statement.

Example

"I was rather dubious about the whole idea of investing our savings in an untested startup."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for dubious

• Nearby Words

dub
dubai
dubbing
dubious
dubiously
dubiousness
dublin

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-16th century from Latin dubiosus, an expansion of dubius ('moving in two directions, wavering, doubtful'), ultimately rooted in duo ('two').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dubious. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dubious
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