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   Du·bi·ous

   /ˈdo͞obēəs/

   

   adjective

   • 1. hesitating or doubting: "Alex looked dubious, but complied" Similar doubtfuluncertainunsurein doubthesitantundecidedunsettledunconfirmedundeterminedindefiniteunresolvedup in the airwaveringvacillatingirresolutein a quandaryin a dilemmaon the horns of a dilemmaskepticalsuspiciousinformal:iffyOpposite certaindefinite
   • 2. not to be relied upon; suspect: "extremely dubious assumptions" Similar suspicioussuspectunder suspicionuntrustworthyunreliableundependablequestionableinformal:shadyfishyfunnynot kosherdodgyequivocalambiguousindeterminateindefiniteunclearvagueimprecisehazypuzzlingenigmaticcrypticopen to questiondebatablequestionableOpposite trustworthydecisivecleardefinite
   • ▪ morally suspect: "time-sharing has been brought into disrepute by dubious sales methods" Similar suspicioussuspectunder suspicionuntrustworthyunreliableundependablequestionableinformal:shadyfishyfunnynot kosherdodgyOpposite trustworthy
   • ▪ of questionable value: "she earned the dubious distinction of being the lowest-paid teacher in the nation" Similar equivocalambiguousindeterminateindefiniteunclearvagueimprecisehazypuzzlingenigmaticcrypticopen to questiondebatablequestionableOpposite decisivecleardefinite

   Word Origin mid 16th century (in dubious (sense 2)): from Latin dubiosus, from dubium ‘a doubt’, neuter of dubius ‘doubtful’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. dubiousness noun

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • D

     2

   • U

     1

   • B

     3

   • I

     1

   • O

     1

   • U

     1

   • S

     1

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