questionable
Americanadjective
-
of doubtful propriety, honesty, morality, respectability, etc..
questionable activities; in questionable taste.
- Antonyms:
- certain
-
open to question or dispute; doubtful or uncertain.
a statement of questionable accuracy.
- Synonyms:
- dubious, dubitable, controvertible, disputable, debatable
-
open to question as to being of the nature or value suggested.
a questionable privilege.
adjective
-
(esp of a person's morality or honesty) admitting of some doubt; dubious
-
of disputable value or authority
a questionable text
Other Word Forms
- questionability noun
- questionableness noun
- questionably adverb
Etymology
Origin of questionable
Explanation
Something that's questionable is uncertain or hard to believe. If a politician says things you doubt are true, you might describe his words as questionable. You might say that it's questionable whether you'll reach your goal of getting straight A's in school, or secretly believe that everything your history teacher says is slightly questionable. In either case, you're highly doubtful. You can even describe a person as questionable, if he or she doesn't strike you as completely honest. The original meaning of the word was "that may be interrogated," from the Latin root word quaestionem, "a seeking, inquiry, questioning, or examination."
Vocabulary lists containing questionable
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He was questionable against the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 26 with a quad contusion.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
A questionable outlet, the company obtained the results through a methodology so shady it verged on outright dishonesty: They used a definition of “tradwife” that bears no resemblance to the term’s actual meaning.
From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026
Today’s lawmakers looking for a frame of reference may want to read up on the efforts to regulate a questionable trading platform of an earlier era, the “bucket shop.”
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
Don’t take his deal if it leaves you feeling queasy or questionable, especially if you don’t like your children being potentially dependent on the largesse of your husband.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
But then you felt everything Hoagland said was apocryphal, always questionable.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
