If you describe something as dubious, you mean that you do not consider it to be completely honest, safe, or reliable.
This claim seems to us to be rather dubious.
Soho was still a highly dubious area.
Those figures alone are a dubious basis for such a conclusion.
dubiouslyadverb [ADVERB after verb, ADVERB adjective/-ed]
Carter was dubiously convicted of shooting three white men in a bar.
2. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If you are dubiousabout something, you are not completely sure about it and have not yet made up your mind about it.
My parents were dubious about it at first but we soon convinced them. [+ about]
Synonyms: unsure, uncertain, suspicious, hesitating More Synonyms of dubious
dubiouslyadverb
He eyed Coyne dubiously.
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
If you say that someone has the dubious honour or the dubious pleasure of doing something, you are indicating that what they are doing is not an honour orpleasure at all, but is, in fact, unpleasant or bad.
Nagy has the dubious honour of being the first athlete to be banned in this way.
More Synonyms of dubious
dubious in British English
(ˈdjuːbɪəs)
adjective
1.
marked by or causing doubt
a dubious reply
2.
unsettled in mind; uncertain; doubtful
3.
of doubtful quality; untrustworthy
a dubious reputation
4.
not certain in outcome
Derived forms
dubiously (ˈdubiously)
adverb
dubiousness (ˈdubiousness)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin dubius wavering
dubious in American English
(ˈdubiəs; ˈdjubiəs)
adjective
1.
causing doubt; ambiguous; vague
a dubious remark
2.
feeling doubt; hesitating; skeptical
3.
with the outcome undecided or hanging in the balance
dubious battle
4.
rousing suspicion; questionable; shady
a dubious character
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈdoubtful
Derived forms
dubiously (ˈdubiously)
adverb
dubiousness (ˈdubiousness)
noun
Word origin
L dubiosus, doubtful < dubius, doubting, uncertain < du- < or akin to duo, two + IE base *bhu-, *bheu-, to be
Examples of 'dubious' in a sentence
dubious
It is a very dubious honour.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
On the blog he claims a dubious victory.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The fashion industry has the dubious honour of being near the top of the list.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It was a dubious penalty and we might have had two ourselves in the first half.
The Sun (2010)
The first is the dubious origins of the manuscript.
Christianity Today (2000)
The dubious claims on offer have either been calls of judgment or stories where only time will tell.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They do not help themselves when they install premium phone lines that charge us for the dubious honour of waiting.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
All are morally dubious, yet none is a crime.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Why can't it throw off its dubious reputation?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Some top hotels have bars, but prices are high and the quality dubious.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Like absinthe, the pencil skirt has a dubious reputation.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Charm can be a dubious quality, hiding a multitude of sins.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
About the sale, my father was dubious at first.
Elizabeth Gaskell Cranford (1853)
English cricket's performance centre has a dubious reputation.
The Sun (2015)
The first goal came from route one, then there was a dubious penalty and the third one was offside.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
A more transparent and honest way of charging would be preferable to the underhand and morally dubious system currently employed.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
If you are staying in a dubious establishment, consider putting your bags and clothes in a large bin liner to keep the bugs out.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Dons fought back, and in the 69th minute they were awarded a dubious penalty.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Concerns the picture quality would be dubious - or the screen would freeze - also proved unfounded.
The Sun (2009)
For drivers taking to the road on Monday morning it may come as some solace that they do not yet have to pay for their dubious pleasure.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
dubious
British English: dubious /ˈdjuːbɪəs/ ADJECTIVE
You describe something as dubious when you think it is not completely honest, safe, or reliable.
This claim seems rather dubious.
American English: dubious
Arabic: مُريِب
Brazilian Portuguese: duvidoso
Chinese: 暧昧的
Croatian: dvojben
Czech: pochybný
Danish: tvivlsom
Dutch: dubieus
European Spanish: dudoso
Finnish: epäilyttävä
French: douteux
German: zweifelhaft
Greek: διφορούμενος
Italian: incerto
Japanese: 怪しげな
Korean: 의심스러운
Norwegian: tvilsom
Polish: wątpliwy
European Portuguese: duvidoso
Romanian: dubios
Russian: сомнительный
Latin American Spanish: dudoso
Swedish: tvivelaktig
Thai: น่าสงสัย
Turkish: kuşkulu
Ukrainian: сумнівний
Vietnamese: đáng ngờ
Chinese translation of 'dubious'
dubious
(ˈdjuːbɪəs)
adj
[claim, reputation, company]可疑的 (kěyí de)
to have the dubious honour/pleasure/distinction of ... 令人怀(懷)疑的 ... 的荣(榮)誉(譽)/愉快/区(區)别(別) (lìng rén huáiyí de ... de róngyù/yúkuài/qūbié)
to be dubious about sth对(對)某事半信半疑 (duì mǒushì bàn xìn bàn yí)
1 (adjective)
Definition
of doubtful quality or worth
dubious business dealings
Synonyms
suspect
Delegates evacuated the building when a suspect package was found.
suspicious
two suspicious-looking characters
crooked (informal)
She might expose his crooked business deals to the authorities.
dodgy (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal)
questionable
unreliable
She had proved to be an unreliable witness and had lied to police.
shady (informal)
Be wary of people who try to talk you into shady deals.
unscrupulous
fishy (informal)
There seems to be something fishy going on.
disreputable
untrustworthy
His opponents still say he's a fundamentally untrustworthy figure.
undependable
Opposites
reliable
,
dependable
,
trustworthy
2 (adjective)
Definition
unsure or undecided
My parents were a bit dubious about it all.
Synonyms
unsure
Fifty-two per cent were unsure about the idea.
uncertain
He stopped, uncertain how to put the question tactfully.
suspicious
He has his father's suspicious nature.
hesitating
doubtful
Why did he sound so doubtful?
sceptical
scientists who are sceptical about global warming
tentative
My first attempts at complaining were very tentative.
wavering
hesitant
I was hesitant about accepting the invitation.
undecided
She was still undecided as to what career she wanted to pursue.
unconvinced
Most consumers seem unconvinced that the recession is over.
iffy (informal)
His political future is looking iffy.
leery (slang)
They are leery of the proposed system.
distrustful
Voters are distrustful of all politicians.
in two minds (informal)
Opposites
sure
,
certain
,
positive
,
definite
3 (adjective)
Definition
not entirely honest, safe, or reliable
This is a very dubious honour.
Synonyms
doubtful
It seemed doubtful that he would move at all.
questionable
The film is a comedy in highly questionable taste.
ambiguous
His remarks clarify an ambiguous statement given earlier this week.
debatable
It is debatable whether or not they were ever properly compensated.
moot
How long he'll be able to do so is a moot point.
arguable
It is arguable whether he ever had much control.
equivocal
Her equivocal response gave nothing away.
open to question
disputable
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ambiguous
Definition
having more than one possible interpretation
His remarks clarify an ambiguous statement given earlier this week.
Synonyms
unclear,
puzzling,
uncertain,
obscure,
vague,
doubtful,
dubious,
enigmatic,
indefinite,
inconclusive,
cryptic,
indeterminate,
equivocal,
Delphic,
oracular,
enigmatical,
clear as mud (informal)
in the sense of arguable
It is arguable whether he ever had much control.
Synonyms
questionable,
controversial,
uncertain,
suspicious,
doubtful,
suspect,
dubious,
dodgy (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal),
unreliable,
debatable,
paradoxical,
unproven,
fishy (informal),
moot,
iffy (informal),
equivocal,
problematical,
disputable,
controvertible,
dubitable
in the sense of crooked
Definition
dishonest or illegal
She might expose his crooked business deals to the authorities.