DOUBT Definition & Meaning

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doubt

[dout]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

to be uncertain about; consider questionable or unlikely; hesitate to believe.
The police have good reason to doubt his alibi.
Synonyms: , ,
to distrust; regard with suspicion.
I doubted the salesman, so we decided to check with other dealers.
Synonyms: , ,
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.
Synonyms: ,
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: Set your doubts aside, and listen to my business idea with an open mind.
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.

doubt

/ �岹ʊ�� /

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 something
all 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
to presume someone suspected of guilt to be innocent; judge leniently
almost certainly

verb

(tr; may take a clause as object) to be inclined to disbelieve
I doubt we are late
(tr) to distrust or be suspicious of
he doubted their motives
(intr) to feel uncertainty or be undecided
(tr; may take a clause as object) to be inclined to believe
archaic��(tr) to fear
I would expect nothing else from someone

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Usage

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.

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

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

doubtable adjective
doubtably adverb
doubter noun
doubtingly adverb
doubtingness noun
nondoubtable adjective
nondoubter noun
nondoubting adjective
nondoubtingly adverb
overdoubt verb (used with object)
predoubt noun
predoubter noun
undoubtable adjective
undoubting adjective
ˈ��ǳܲ��ٲ�� adverb
ˈ��ǳܲ��پ��Բ�� adverb
ˈ��ǳܲ��ٱ�� noun
ˈ��ǳܲ��ٲ�� adjective

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of doubt¹

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

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of doubt¹

C13: from Old French douter, from Latin ��ܲ��

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

in doubt, in a state of uncertainty or suspense.
His appointment to the position is still in doubt.
no doubt,
1. probably.
2. certainly.
  There is no doubt an element of truth in what you say.
beyond a / the shadow of a doubt, with certainty; definitely. Also beyond a doubt, beyond doubt.
without doubt, unquestionably; certainly.

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

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

There is little doubt the government is leaning into this moment of turbulence – perhaps it has little option?

From

What is beyond doubt is the decimation of a family who have been a source of fascination and speculation in their native Norway and far beyond.

From

There is no doubt that there are township schools, led by visionary principals and hard-working teachers, that have done wonders despite the obstacles of poor infrastructure and large class sizes.

From

There's no doubt the weight of history - before South Africa managed to wrap up this five-wicket win over Australia - weighed heavily.

From

But there is no doubting this is a fretful moment, adversaries and conflicts around the world, deep seated problems at home.

From

Related 51�Թ�s

ambiguity��
apprehension��
confusion��
difficulty��
disbelief��
distrust��
fear��
hesitation��
misgiving��
mistrust��
problem��
qualm��
reluctance��
skepticism��
suspense��
suspicion��
uncertainty��

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Doubs doubtful

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