The meaning of Dubious

adjective

Open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning.

Usage examples:

Ambiguous phrases

adjective

Dishonest or unreliable.

Usage examples:

A dodgy second-hand car salesman

adjective

Feeling uncertain about something.

Usage examples:

He looked doubtful, but gave a nod

adjective

Uncertain or unlikely

Usage examples:

[ + (that) clause ] it was doubtful (that) the money would ever be found., she gave me a long, doub…

adjective

Used to describe debts or accounts that are unlikely to be paid

Usage examples:

The company has established an allowance for doubtful accounts based on the credit risk of specific…

adjective

Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.

Usage examples:

The equivocal nature of her remarks

adjective

(of statements) unclear and seeming to have two opposing meanings, or (of actions or ways of behaving) confusing and able to be understood in two different ways

Usage examples:

She gave an equivocal response.

adjective

Relating to or resembling fish or a fish.

Usage examples:

A fishy smell

adjective

Seeming dishonest or false

Usage examples:

There’s something fishy going on.

adjective

Causing laughter or amusement; humorous.

Usage examples:

A funny story

noun

Comic strips in newspapers.

Usage examples:

I read the sports page, funnies, and editorial

An account of an amusing incident

abbreviation

(in measuring the height of horses) hand(s).

Usage examples:

Pinto pony gelding—quiet, 13.3 h, great with kids

noun

The eighth letter of the alphabet.

noun

A thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the total heat content of a system. it is equal to the internal energy of the system plus the product of pressure and volume.

adjective

Tentative, unsure, or slow in acting or speaking.

Usage examples:

Clients are hesitant about buying

adjective

If you are hesitant, you do not do something immediately or quickly because you are nervous or not certain

Usage examples:

You seemed a bit hesitant about recommending that restaurant - is something wrong with it?, she gav…

adjective

Lacking exactness and accuracy of expression or detail.

Usage examples:

The witness could give only vague and imprecise descriptions

adjective

Not accurate or exact

Usage examples:

As all the data have not yet been collected, the figures are still imprecise.

adjective

Lasting for an unknown or unstated length of time.

Usage examples:

They may face indefinite detention

adjective

Not exact or not clear; without clear limits

Usage examples:

It was a wonderful opportunity, but it meant leaving family and friends for an indefinite period, p…

adjective

Not exactly known, established, or defined.

Usage examples:

The carpet is an indeterminate dull shade

adjective

Not clearly determined or established

Usage examples:

Juvenile criminals are sometimes sentenced to indeterminate prison terms rather than a fixed length…

adjective

Showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain.

Usage examples:

She stood irresolute outside his door

adjective

Not able or willing to take decisions or actions

Usage examples:

An irresolute reply

adjective

Doubtful as regards truth or validity.

Usage examples:

It is questionable whether any of these exceptions is genuine

adjective

Situated in or full of shade.

Usage examples:

Shady woods

adjective

Having or giving shade

Usage examples:

It’s nice and shady in front of the house., they’d been involved in shady real estate deals., he ha…

adjective

Likely to be illegal or dishonest

Usage examples:

The company got involved in some rather shady business deals., we always felt he was a very shady c…

verb

Have an idea or impression of the existence, presence, or truth of (something) without certain proof.

Usage examples:

If you suspect a gas leak, do not turn on an electric light

noun

A person thought to be guilty of a crime or offence.

Usage examples:

The police have arrested a suspect

adjective

Not to be relied on or trusted; possibly dangerous or false.

Usage examples:

A suspect package was found on the platform

adjective

Having or showing a cautious distrust of someone or something.

Usage examples:

He was suspicious of her motives

adjective

Not able to be relied on; not known or definite.

Usage examples:

An uncertain future

adjective

Unclear, or not sure

Usage examples:

She faces an uncertain future., we’re uncertain of the cause of death., [ u ] they live in uncertai…

adjective

Not easy to see, hear, or understand.

Usage examples:

The motive for this killing is unclear

adjective

Not obvious or easy to see or know

Usage examples:

[ + question word ] it’s unclear what actually happened that night., i’m unclear about a couple of …

adjective

Not confirmed as to truth or validity.

Usage examples:

An unconfirmed report of shots being fired

adjective

(of information) not proven to be true or false

Usage examples:

An unconfirmed report

adjective

(of a person) not having made a decision.

Usage examples:

The jury remained undecided

noun

A person who has not decided how they are going to vote in an election.

Usage examples:

20 per cent of the population describe themselves as undecideds

adjective

Not having made a decision or judgment about something

Usage examples:

Are you still undecided about that job in san francisco?

adjective

Not trustworthy and reliable.

Usage examples:

Evidence is scarce and often undependable

adjective

Not authoritatively decided or settled.

Usage examples:

The acquisition will result in an as yet undetermined number of lay-offs

adjective

Not measured, counted, or clearly known

Usage examples:

The park was developed in several phases, at undetermined costs, between 2015 and 2020., local resi…

adjective

Not able to be relied upon.

Usage examples:

He's lazy and unreliable

adjective

Not to be trusted or depended on

Usage examples:

Their carpenter was totally unreliable – he never finished the job.

adjective

(of a problem, question, or dispute) not resolved.

Usage examples:

A number of issues remain unresolved

adjective

(esp. of a problem or difficulty) not solved or ended

Usage examples:

The mayor’s race remains unresolved.

adjective

Lacking order or stability.

Usage examples:

An unsettled childhood

verb

Cause to feel anxious or uneasy; disturb.

Usage examples:

The crisis has unsettled financial markets

adjective

Tending to change suddenly; not having a regular pattern

Usage examples:

Things are unsettled in the state’s political arena., the forecast is for unsettled weather, with m…

adjective

Not feeling, showing, or done with confidence and certainty.

Usage examples:

I stand quietly under that glare, unsure of how to reply to such a statement

adjective

In doubt, or not certain

Usage examples:

[ + question word ] officials were unsure who was in control of the city., he has been unsure of hi…

adjective

Not able to be relied on as honest or truthful.

Usage examples:

Thomas considered her to be devious and untrustworthy

adjective

Wavering between different opinions or actions; irresolute.

Usage examples:

He was accused of vacillating leadership

verb

Waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive.

Usage examples:

I vacillated between teaching and journalism

adjective

Of uncertain, indefinite, or unclear character or meaning.

Usage examples:

Many patients suffer vague symptoms

adjective

Not clearly stated, described, or explained, or not clearly seen or felt

Usage examples:

She had a vague feeling that something had gone terribly wrong., i have only a vague memory of the …

adjective

Moving in a quivering way; flickering.

Usage examples:

A wavering flame

verb

Move in a quivering way; flicker.

Usage examples:

The flame wavered in the draught

adjective

Losing strength, determination, or purpose, especially temporarily

Usage examples:

He spoke in a wavering voice, as if he were not sure of his ground., his wavering resolve was stren…