doubt

[ dout ]

/ daʊt /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: doubt / doubted / doubting / doubts on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

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.

verb (used without object)

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.

noun

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.

OTHER WORDS FOR doubt

1, 2 mistrust, suspect, question.

5 indecision, irresolution.

See synonyms for doubt on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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,

probably.
certainly: There is no doubt an element of truth in what you say.

without doubt, unquestionably; certainly.

Origin of doubt

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb douten, duten, doubten, from Old French douter, doter “to doubt, be doubtful,” from Latin dubitāre “to waver, hesitate, be uncertain” (frequentative of Old Latin dubāre ), equivalent to dub- “doubt” + -it- frequentative suffix + -āre infinitive suffix; noun derivative of the verb. The -b- first appears between 1420–30 in imitation of Latin dubit-

usage note for doubt

Doubt and doubtful may be followed by a subordinate clause beginning with that, whether, or if: I doubt that (or whether or if ) the story is true. It is doubtful that (or whether or if ) the story is true. There is some doubt that (or whether or if ) the story is true. In negative or interrogative sentences, that almost always introduces the subordinate clause: I do not doubt that the story is true. Is it doubtful that the story is true? Is there any doubt that the story is true?
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 FROM doubt

doubt·a·ble, adjectivedoubt·a·bly, adverbdoubt·er, noundoubt·ing·ly, adverb

doubt·ing·ness, nounnon·doubt·a·ble, adjectivenon·doubt·er, nounnon·doubt·ing, adjectivenon·doubt·ing·ly, adverbo·ver·doubt, verb (used with object)pre·doubt, noun, verbpre·doubt·er, nounun·doubt·a·ble, adjectiveun·doubt·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use doubt in a sentence

She read in this singular alteration of his ways the undoubtable indication of an altered character.
Love-at-Arms|Raphael Sabatini
He felt that her undoubtable quality had a non-individual flavour, as if standing for her class.
The Island Pharisees|John Galsworthy
For then leaving virtue, it falls into disdained baseness, which is the undoubtable badge of one that will betray society.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 20, Issue 572, October 20, 1832|Various
There was an undoubtable noise of sawing, and I knew at once that a burglar was entering our home.
The Water Goats and Other Troubles|Ellis Parker Butler

Was it only his habit in diplomatic affairs to doubt everything that was not undoubtable.
The Cab of the Sleeping Horse|John Reed Scott

British Dictionary definitions for doubt

doubt

/ (daʊt) /

noun

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 somethingall 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

verb

(tr; may take a clause as object) to be inclined to disbelieveI doubt we are late

(tr) to distrust or be suspicious ofhe 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

Derived forms of doubt

doubtable, adjectivedoubtably, adverbdoubter, noundoubtingly, adverb

Word Origin for doubt

C13: from Old French douter, from Latin dubitāre

usage for doubt

Where a clause follows doubt in a positive sentence, it was formerly considered correct to use whether (I doubt whether he will come ), but now if and that are also acceptable. In negative statements, doubt is followed by that: I do not doubt that he is telling the truth. In such sentences, but (I do not doubt but that he is telling the truth) is redundant

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

doubt

see beyond a doubt; cast doubt on; give the benefit of the doubt; no doubt; shadow of a doubt.

doubt

OTHER WORDS FOR doubt

Idioms about doubt

Origin of doubt

usage note for doubt

OTHER WORDS FROM doubt

Words related to doubt

How to use doubt in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for doubt

Derived forms of doubt

Word Origin for doubt

usage for doubt

Other Idioms and Phrases with doubt