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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective questionable contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of questionable are doubtful, dubious, and problematic. While all these words mean "not affording assurance of the worth, soundness, or certainty of something," questionable may imply no more than the existence of doubt but usually suggests that the suspicions are well-grounded.

a man of questionable honesty

Where would doubtful be a reasonable alternative to questionable?

The words doubtful and questionable can be used in similar contexts, but doubtful implies little more than a lack of conviction or certainty.

doubtful about whether I said the right thing

In what contexts can dubious take the place of questionable?

While the synonyms dubious and questionable are close in meaning, dubious stresses suspicion, mistrust, or hesitation.

dubious about the practicality of the scheme

When is it sensible to use problematic instead of questionable?

The synonyms problematic and questionable are sometimes interchangeable, but problematic applies especially to things whose existence, meaning, fulfillment, or realization is highly uncertain.

whether the project will ever be finished is problematic

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of questionable Echo Valley The Bottom Line Delivers, despite some questionable turns. Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025 Then there’s City Hall, where Mayor Brandon Johnson is asking for hundreds of millions in new federal and state funds to prevent drastic service cuts while also rolling out feel-good programs with questionable funding sources. Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025 Prosecutors accused him of receiving benefits from a vendor who had a questionable technology contract from the school district. Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 5 June 2025 Yet the same access that facilitates oversight can also be used to shield questionable practices from government scrutiny, C4ADS wrote. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for questionable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for questionable
Adjective
  • Thrilling upset launches unconventional Finals: Oklahoma City and Indiana both chasing their first NBA championship made for a dubious national ratings sell, and the Knicks’ sudden firing of coach Tom Thibodeau glommed attention as the Finals began.
    Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 8 June 2025
  • Their once-close relationship came under scrutiny again on Thursday when billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk alleged the president was a party to Epstein’s dubious behavior.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • But this scenario assumes crypto stands still while quantum computing advances, which is highly unlikely.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
  • Khamenei’s zealotry is very unlikely to outlive him in Iran’s highest echelons of power.
    Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • Leo: Miranda Hobbes Miranda’s birthdate is debatable.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 28 May 2025
  • Whether or not Jones would have wanted his character to feature in Fortnite is debatable, but strangely enough, Disney’s Star Wars has inspired similar debates in the past.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • Trump and Musk will meet by the end of the year—giving that likelihood a 57 percent chance—but are doubtful that a meeting will come in the coming weeks.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
  • Initially doubtful of her claim to survivor status, she’s emboldened by her female friends to speak openly of her experience, which in turn becomes the cause célèbre that carries the entire movement.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • The comment was in answer to how Friends, in its second resurgence in the streaming era, was receiving some criticism for some of its problematic elements, i.e. the lack of diversity, homophobia, sexism, etc.
    Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 7 June 2025
  • Some lawns are just too big for a bot to handle, and even smaller lawns present more problematic terrain than a carpeted floor.
    John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • But with the event falling on June 14, President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday—and with his name, presence, and fingerprints woven throughout—the military spectacle has become one of the most controversial and polarizing public displays in the nation’s capital in years.
    Nik Popli, Time, 12 June 2025
  • But in the 1990s, the U.S. government undertook one of the most controversial wildlife programs in history — capturing wild wolves in Canada and reintroducing them in Idaho and Yellowstone National Park.
    Clark Corbin, Idaho Statesman, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • The agencies urged the public to remain vigilant and report any threats of violence or suspicious activity to law enforcement.
    Jeremy Harlan, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
  • Quiet Skies was revealed in 2018 by The Boston Globe, which said the program deployed air marshals, who fly armed and undercover to thwart terrorists, to track dozens of suspicious travelers daily.
    Josh Meyer, USA Today, 6 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Questionable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/questionable. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

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