cast doubt on

Idioms  

1. Cause something or someone to be questioned. For example, The prosecutor cast doubt on the wife's alibi. This idiom uses cast in the sense of “throw,” a usage dating from the early 1200s.

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Example Sentences

Social media is rife with fabricated satellite imagery, heatmaps and other pseudo forensic visuals used to cast doubt on genuine evidence from the war, researchers say.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

The platforms’ attorneys sought to cast doubt on the ailment — emphasizing that there is no formal diagnosis for social media addiction — while also arguing that Kaley had never been treated for it.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Instead, the 2026 Six Nations has cast doubt on the whole project.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

As in other federal assault cases, bystander videos as well as police-camera and surveillance footage cast doubt on agents’ claims, in some cases leading to the exoneration of citizens.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

Although a few historians have recently cast doubt on some of the details of Olaudah Equiano’s life story, the majority of his account has been verified.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Related Words

• accuse
• arraign
• criticize
• discredit
• indict
• reprimand