| Main Entry: | doubtful |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | questionable, unclear |
Synonyms: |
ambiguous, borderline, chancy, clouded, contingent, debatable, dicey, disreputable, doubtable, dubious, dubitable, equivocal, far-fetched, fat chance, fishy, hazardous, hazy, iffy, impugnable, inconclusive, indecisive, indefinite, indeterminate, indistinct, insecure, long shot, obscure, on thin ice, open, pending, precarious, problematic, shady, sneaky*, speculative, suspect, suspicious, touch-and-go, touchy, uncertain, unconfirmed, undecided, uneasy, unsettled, unstable, unsure, up for grabs |
| Notes: | a person is capable of doubting, whereas a thing is dubitable; dubious, unlike doubtful, carries the connotation of suspicion |
Antonyms: |
certain, clear, confirmed, decided, definite, exact, resolved, settled, unquestionable |
| Main Entry: | doubtful |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | not believing |
Synonyms: |
agnostic, baffled, confused, discomposed, disconcerted, distracted, distrustful, disturbed, doubting, dubious, equivocal, faithless, faltering, flustered, hesitant, hesitating, in a quandary, in clouds, in dilemma, indecisive, irresolute, like doubting Thomas, lost, not following, of two minds, perplexed, puzzled, questioning, skeptical, suspicious, tentative, theoretical, troubled, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unresolved, unsettled, unsure, vacillating, wavering, without belief |
Antonyms: |
believing, certain, confident, convinced, sure, trusting |
| Main Entry: | ambiguous |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | having more than one meaning |
Synonyms: |
clear as dishwater, cryptic, doubtful, dubious, enigmatic, enigmatical, equivocal, inconclusive, indefinite, indeterminate, inexplicit, muddy, multivocal, obscure, opaque, polysemous, puzzling, questionable, tenebrous, uncertain, unclear, unintelligible, vague |
| Notes: | ambiguous is vague by accident or intent; equivocal is vague by intent |
Antonyms: |
clear, definite, explicit, lucid |
| Main Entry: | ambivalent |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | conflicting |
Synonyms: |
clashing, contradictory, debatable, doubtful, equivocal, fluctuating, hesitant, inconclusive, irresolute, mixed, opposed, uncertain, undecided, unresolved, unsure, vacillating, warring, wavering |
Antonyms: |
certain, definite, resolved, settled, sure, unequivocal |
| Main Entry: | apocryphal |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | questionable; fake |
Synonyms: |
counterfeit, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, false, fictitious, inaccurate, mythical, spurious, unauthenticated, ungenuine, unsubstantiated, untrue, unverified, wrong |
Antonyms: |
authentic, doubtless, real, true |
| Main Entry: | apprehensive |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | anxious, fearful |
Synonyms: |
afraid, alarmed, biting nails, butterflies, concerned, disquieted, doubtful, feel in bones, foreboding, frozen*, get vibes, have a hunch, have cold feet, have funny feeling, have stage fright, hung up, in a cold sweat, in a dither, in a sweat, jellyfish, jittery, jumpy, lily-livered, mistrustful, running scared, scaredy-cat, shaky*, stiff, suspicious, troubled, uncertain, uneasy, uptight, weak, worried, worried sick |
Antonyms: |
at ease, calm, quiet, unafraid, undoubting, unfearful, unsuspicious, unworried |
| Main Entry: | arguable |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | debatable |
Synonyms: |
contentious, controversial, disputable, doubtful, dubious, moot, open to question, questionable, sub judice, uncertain, unsure |
Antonyms: |
certain |
| Main Entry: | borderline |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | inexact |
Synonyms: |
ambiguous, ambivalent, doubtful, dubitable, equivocal, indecisive, indefinite, indeterminate, marginal, open, problematic, uncertain, unclassifiable, unclear, undecided, unsettled |
Antonyms: |
certain, definite, exact, sure |
| Main Entry: | conjectural |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | speculative |
Synonyms: |
academic, assumed, doubtful, figured, guessing, guesstimated, hypothetical, on a hunch, on a long shot, putative, reputed, supposed, suppositional, suppositious, suppositive, surmised, surmising, suspect, tentative, theoretical, uncertain, unresolved |
Antonyms: |
certain, factual, proven, real, truthful |
| Main Entry: | controversial |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | at issue |
Synonyms: |
arguable, argumentative, contended, contentious, contestable, controvertible, debateable, disputable, disputatious, disputed, doubtable, doubtful, dubious, dubitable, in dispute, litigious, moot, open to discussion, open to question, polemical, questionable, suspect, uncertain, under discussion |
Antonyms: |
agreeable, incontrovertible, peaceful, uncontroversial, undisputed, undoubted, unquestionable |