Definitions for doubtful
ˈdaʊt fəldoubt·ful

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 2 votes

1. doubtful, dubious, dubitable, in question(p)adjective

   open to doubt or suspicion

   "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"- Karen Horney

2. doubtful, dubiousadjective

   fraught with uncertainty or doubt

   "they were doubtful that the cord would hold"; "it was doubtful whether she would be admitted"; "dubious about agreeing to go"

3. doubtful, tentativeadjective

   unsettled in mind or opinion

   "drew a few tentative conclusions"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. doubtfuladjective

   Subject to, or causing doubt

2. doubtfuladjective

   Experiencing or showing doubt

3. doubtfuladjective

   Undecided or of uncertain outcome

4. doubtfuladjective

   Fearsome, dreadful.

5. doubtfuladjective

   Improbable or unlikely

6. doubtfuladjective

   Suspicious, or of dubious character

7. doubtfuladjective

   Unclear or unreliable

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Doubtfuladjective

   Etymology: doubt and full.

   1. Dubious; not settled in opinion.

   Methinks I should know you, and know this man;
   Yet I am doubtful. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

   2. Ambiguous; not clear in its meaning.3. That about which there is doubt; that which is not yet determined or decided; obscure; questionable; uncertain.

   In handling the right of a war, I am not willing to intermix matter doubtful with that which is out of doubt; for as in capital causes, wherein but one man’s life is in question, the evidence ought to be clear; so much more in a judgment upon a war, which is capital to thousands. Francis Bacon.

   In doubtful cases, reason still determines for the safer side; especially if the case be not only doubtful, but also highly concerning, and the venture be a soul, and an eternity. South.

   Themetes first, ’tis doubtful whether hir’d,
   Or so the Trojan destiny requir’d,
   Mov’d, that the ramparts might be broken down,
   To lodge the monster fabrick in the town. John Dryden, Æn.

   4. Not secure; not without suspicion.

   Our manner is always to cast a doubtful and a more suspicious eye towards that, over which we know we have least power. Richard Hooker, Dedication.

   5. Not confident; not without fear.

   With doubtful feet and wavering resolution
   I come, still dreading thy displeasure, Samson. John Milton, Agonist.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. doubtful

   Doubt is a mental state in which the mind remains suspended between two or more contradictory propositions, unable to be certain of any of them. Doubt on an emotional level is indecision between belief and disbelief. It may involve uncertainty, distrust or lack of conviction on certain facts, actions, motives, or decisions. Doubt can result in delaying or rejecting relevant action out of concern for mistakes or missed opportunities.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. doubtful

   Doubtful refers to a state of uncertainty or lack of conviction about something. It might indicate skepticism, disbelief, lack of faith or a feeling of hesitation to accept or practice something as being true or reliable.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Doubtfuladjective

   not settled in opinion; undetermined; wavering; hesitating in belief; also used, metaphorically, of the body when its action is affected by such a state of mind; as, we are doubtful of a fact, or of the propriety of a measure

2. Doubtfuladjective

   admitting of doubt; not obvious, clear, or certain; questionable; not decided; not easy to be defined, classed, or named; as, a doubtful case, hue, claim, title, species, and the like

3. Doubtfuladjective

   characterized by ambiguity; dubious; as, a doubtful expression; a doubtful phrase

4. Doubtfuladjective

   of uncertain issue or event

5. Doubtfuladjective

   fearful; apprehensive; suspicious

British National Corpus

1. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'doubtful' in Adjectives Frequency: #883

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. 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How to pronounce doubtful?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say doubtful in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of doubtful in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of doubtful in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of doubtful in a Sentence

1. C. C. Colton:

   We ought not be over anxious to encourage innovation, in case of doubtful improvement, for an old system must ever have two advantages over a new one; it is established and it is understood.

2. Hazlitt:

   Women never reason and therefore they are, comparatively, seldom wrong. They judge instinctively of what falls under their immediate observation or experience, and do not trouble themselves about remote or doubtful consequences. If they make no profound discoveries, they do not involve themselves in gross absurdities. It is only by the help of reason and logical inference, according to Hobbes, that ?man becomes excellently wise or excellently foolish.?

3. Staff Mark Meadows:

   Ive become extremely doubtful that well be able to make a deal if it goes well beyond Friday.

4. John Boehner:

   When the Democrats had total control of the Congress they couldn't find the votes, it's doubtful the votes are here to raise the gas tax again. … I’ve never voted to raise the gas tax. We'll have to work our way through it.

5. Christian Lindner:

   If I could only follow my heart, there would be an immediate embargo on everything, however, it is doubtful that this would stop the war machine in the short term.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=doubtful
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Doubtful
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=doubtful
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubtful
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doubtful
7. ^ Usage in printed sources
   https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=doubtful