Dubious vs. Doubtful — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Dubious and Doubtful
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Compare with Definitions
Dubious
Fraught with uncertainty or doubt; undecided.
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Doubtful
Subject to or causing doubt
A doubtful claim.
Doubtful prospects.
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Dubious
Arousing doubt; doubtful
A dubious distinction.
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Doubtful
Experiencing or showing doubt
Doubtful that the cord would hold, we strengthened it.
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Dubious
Of questionable character
Dubious profits.
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Doubtful
Of uncertain outcome; undecided.
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Dubious
(of a statement, matter, or thing) Arousing doubt; questionable; open to suspicion.
After he made some dubious claims about the company, fewer people trusted him.
They were renowned as people of dubious morals.
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Doubtful
Raising doubts as to legitimacy, honesty, or respectability; suspicious
The candidate's doubtful past. See Usage Note at doubt.
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Dubious
(of a person) In disbelief; wavering, uncertain, or hesitating in opinion; inclined to doubt; undecided.
She was dubious about my plan at first, but later I managed to persuade her to cooperate.
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Doubtful
Subject to, or causing doubt.
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Dubious
Generally considered imprecise or wrong, but not totally unplayable.
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Doubtful
Experiencing or showing doubt, sceptical.
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Dubious
Doubtful or not settled in opinion; being in doubt; wavering or fluctuating; undetermined.
A dubious, agitated state of mind.
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Doubtful
Undecided or of uncertain outcome.
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Dubious
Occasioning doubt; not clear, or obvious; equivocal; questionable; doubtful; as, a dubious answer.
Wiping the dingy shirt with a still more dubious pocket handkerchief.
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Doubtful
(obsolete) Fearsome, dreadful.
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Dubious
Of uncertain event or issue; as, in dubious battle.
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Doubtful
Improbable or unlikely.
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Dubious
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
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Doubtful
Suspicious, or of dubious character.
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Dubious
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
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Doubtful
Unclear or unreliable.
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Dubious
Not convinced;
They admitted the force of my argument but remained dubious
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Doubtful
A doubtful person or thing.
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Doubtful
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.
Methinks I should know you, and know this man;Yet I am doubtful.
With doubtful feet and wavering resolution.
Mar 08, 2022
Doubtful
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.
Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good.
Is it a great cruelty to expel from our abode the enemy of our peace, or even the doubtful friend [i. e., one as to whose sincerity there may be doubts]?
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Doubtful
Characterized by ambiguity; dubious; as, a doubtful expression; a doubtful phrase.
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Doubtful
Of uncertain issue or event.
We . . . have sustained one day in doubtful fight.
The strife between the two principles had been long, fierce, and doubtful.
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Doubtful
Fearful; apprehensive; suspicious.
I am doubtful that you have been conjunctAnd bosomed with her.
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Doubtful
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
Mar 08, 2022
Doubtful
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
Mar 08, 2022
Doubtful
Unsettled in mind or opinion;
Drew a few tentative conclusions
Mar 08, 2022
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