doubt
to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe: The police have good reason to doubt his alibi.
to distrust; regard with suspicion: I doubted the salesman, so we decided to check with other dealers.
Archaic. to fear; be apprehensive about.
to be uncertain about something; be undecided in opinion or belief: The priest told me that it was normal to doubt, but encouraged me to nurture my faith.
a feeling of uncertainty about the truth, reality, or nature of something: We all had our doubts about your mysterious Canadian girlfriend since no one has ever seen her in person.
distrust or suspicion: Voters naturally held some doubt about the abrupt change in policy direction issued by city hall.
a general feeling of uncertainty, worry, or concern: As soon as I'd dropped out of school to become a full-time musician, I was full of doubt—what if I’d made a terrible mistake?Set your doubts aside, and listen to my business idea with an open mind.
a state of affairs such as to occasion uncertainty.
Obsolete. fear; dread.
Idioms about doubt
beyond a / the shadow of a doubt, with certainty; definitely. : Also beyond a doubt, beyond doubt.
in doubt, in a state of uncertainty or suspense: His appointment to the position is still in doubt.
no doubt,
certainly: There is no doubt an element of truth in what you say.
without doubt, unquestionably; certainly.
Origin of doubt
1usage note For doubt
The expressions doubt but and doubt but that occur in all varieties of standard speech and writing: I don't doubt but she is sincere. There is no doubt but that the charges will affect his career. Doubt but what occurs mainly in informal speech and writing: There is no doubt but what the rainy weather will hurt the crops.
Other words for doubt
Other words from doubt
- doubt·a·ble, adjective
- doubt·a·bly, adverb
- doubt·er, noun
- doubt·ing·ly, adverb
- doubt·ing·ness, noun
- non·doubt·a·ble, adjective
- non·doubt·er, noun
- non·doubt·ing, adjective
- non·doubt·ing·ly, adverb
- o·ver·doubt, verb (used with object)
- pre·doubt, noun, verb
- pre·doubt·er, noun
- un·doubt·a·ble, adjective
- un·doubt·ing, adjective
Words Nearby doubt
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use doubt in a sentence
When you’re concerned with all things at one time, things become less obvious — and that’s what constitutes doubt.
Don’t Blame The Refs For All Of These Replay Reviews | Jared Dubin | September 17, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightI mention this not to sow doubt in your mind, not to scare you, but rather to prepare you.
‘How I Built This’ host Guy Raz on insights from some of the world’s most famous entrepreneurs | Rachel King | September 15, 2020 | FortuneIt’s thrown her dreams of opening a full-service dine-in restaurant or a franchising strategy into doubt.
The Big Corporate Rescue and the America That’s Too Small to Save | by Lydia DePillis, Justin Elliott and Paul Kiel | September 12, 2020 | ProPublicaExplaining the reasoning behind each data point and action in your SEO proposal, and arguing from first principles, should leave less room for doubt and more for critical thinking.
SEO proposals: Particular challenges and how to avoid getting a silent no | SEOmonitor | September 10, 2020 | Search Engine WatchWithout a doubt, there’s a link between the sound and meaning for animals.
Talking Is Throwing Fictional Worlds at One Another - Issue 89: The Dark Side | Kevin Berger | September 9, 2020 | Nautilus
And, in the case of fluoride, at least, that doubt might actually be justified.
Stephanie Giorgio, a classical musician, credits The Class for helping her cope with anxiety, focus, fear, and self-doubt.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze | Lizzie Crocker | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTHe no doubt had heard by then that some of the cops had ignored his request and turned their backs.
Their confrontation at dinner was, without a doubt, the highlight of the episode.
‘Downton Abbey’ Review: A Fire, Some Sex, and Sad, Sad Edith | Kevin Fallon | January 5, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut self-doubt, while a healthy quality for human beings to have, is alas not a plus for politicians.
Mario Cuomo: An OK Governor, but a Far Better Person | Michael Tomasky | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThere was no doubt thought of his own loss in this question: yet there was, one may hope, a germ of solicitude for the mother too.
Children's Ways | James SullyElyon is the name of an ancient Phœnician god, slain by his son El, no doubt the “first-born of death” in Job xviii.
Solomon and Solomonic Literature | Moncure Daniel ConwayThe patache was never seen again, and there is not much doubt that it was lost with all hands on board.
Her feet felt rooted to the floor in the wonder and doubt of this strange occurrence.
The Bondboy | George W. (George Washington) OgdenBut I doubt if he feels any particular emotion himself, when he is piercing you through with his rendering.
Music-Study in Germany | Amy Fay
British Dictionary definitions for doubt
/ (daʊt) /
uncertainty about the truth, fact, or existence of something (esp in the phrases in doubt, without doubt, beyond a shadow of doubt, etc)
(often plural) lack of belief in or conviction about something: all his doubts about the project disappeared
an unresolved difficulty, point, etc
philosophy the methodical device, esp in the philosophy of Descartes, of identifying certain knowledge as the residue after rejecting any proposition which might, however improbably, be false
obsolete fear
give someone the benefit of the doubt to presume someone suspected of guilt to be innocent; judge leniently
no doubt almost certainly
(tr; may take a clause as object) to be inclined to disbelieve: I doubt we are late
(tr) to distrust or be suspicious of: he doubted their motives
(intr) to feel uncertainty or be undecided
(tr; may take a clause as object) Scot to be inclined to believe
(tr) archaic to fear
I wouldn't doubt someone Irish I would expect nothing else from someone
Origin of doubt
1usage For doubt
Derived forms of doubt
- doubtable, adjective
- doubtably, adverb
- doubter, noun
- doubtingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with doubt
see beyond a doubt; cast doubt on; give the benefit of the doubt; no doubt; shadow of a doubt.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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