cast doubt on

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.

Example Sentences

By early September, it was enough for Roberts to cast doubt on Sasaki’s return, saying bluntly that “the performance, the stuff hasn’t been there.”

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Elbridge Colby, U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, cast doubt on Aukus last year, before he entered the administration.

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On Wednesday, though, the dollar strengthened—especially against the Japanese yen, which has slumped after election results cast doubt on whether the Bank of Japan will continue raising interest rates.

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The Acip has cast doubt on the hepatitis B vaccine for months, even though scientists say it is safe and effective at preventing the infection.

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The court still has to rule on the rest of the appeal, but in Friday’s opinion, they cast doubt on some of Paxton’s central arguments.

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Related Words

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