doubt

[ dout ]

/ daʊt /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR doubt ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe.

to distrust.

Archaic. to fear; be apprehensive about.

verb (used without object)

to be uncertain about something; be undecided in opinion or belief.

noun

a feeling of uncertainty about the truth, reality, or nature of something.

distrust.

a state of affairs such as to occasion uncertainty.

Obsolete. fear; dread.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

doubloon, doublure, doubly, doubly armed suture, doubs, doubt, doubter, doubtful, doubtfully, doubting thomas, doubtless

Idioms

beyond 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

1175–1225; (v.) Middle English douten < Anglo-French, Old French douter < Latin dubitāre to waver, hesitate, be uncertain (frequentative of OL dubāre), equivalent to dub- doubt + -it- frequentative suffix + -āre infinitive suffix; (noun) Middle English doute < Anglo-French, Old French, derivative of the v.

SYNONYMS FOR doubt

1, 2 mistrust, suspect, question.

5 indecision, irresolution.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR doubt ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

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

Usage note

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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for undoubting

Joan's eyes lighted, as the youth spoke with all the ardour of a young and vivid imagination and a generous and undoubting love.
In the Wars of the Roses|Evelyn Everett-Green
She had the great merits of unshrinking courage, perfect sincerity and undoubting loyalty to truth.
The Age of Tennyson|Hugh Walker
They listened from morning until night to his boastful little stories with undoubting faith and pleasure.
Lippincott's Magazine, Vol. 22, September, 1878|Various
I know how sincere you are, and how—I wish I had your undoubting spirit!
Between The Dark And The Daylight|William Dean Howells

A terrific battle ensued, in which one party fought, animated by undoubting confidence, and the other impelled by despair.
The Empire of Austria; Its Rise and Present Power|John S. C. Abbott

British Dictionary definitions for undoubting

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 Formsdoubtable, adjectivedoubtably, adverbdoubter, noundoubtingly, adverb

Word Origin for doubt

C13: from Old French douter, from Latin dubitāre

usage

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

Word Origin and History for undoubting (1 of 2)

doubt

early 13c., "to dread, fear," from Old French doter "doubt, be doubtful; be afraid," from Latin dubitare "to doubt, question, hesitate, waver in opinion" (related to dubius "uncertain;" see dubious), originally "to have to choose between two things."

The sense of "fear" developed in Old French and was passed on to English. Meaning "to be uncertain" is attested in English from c.1300. The -b- was restored 14c. by scribes in imitation of Latin. Replaced Old English tweogan (noun twynung), from tweon "two," on notion of "of two minds" or the choice of two implied in Latin dubitare (cf. German Zweifel "doubt," from zwei "two").

Word Origin and History for undoubting (1 of 2)

doubt

early 13c., from Old French dote (11c.) "fear, dread; doubt," from doter (see doubt (v.)).

Idioms and Phrases with undoubting

doubt

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