1
2
3

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 Division 2 preview: Section record-setting/state leader Brandon Arrington of Mount Miguel is questionable to run the 100 after suffering a hamstring injury. Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2025 Maybe that's precisely the sort of questionable self-assuredness the Nuggets needed to prolong this series. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 16 May 2025 While losing in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals will always be painful, the manner in which Minnesota suffered defeat – with a questionable foul called at the end of regulation to allow the Liberty to force overtime – resulted in anger that could fuel the beast this summer. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 16 May 2025 The deportation of Venezuelan men to a hellish mega-prison in El Salvador, on the questionable suspicion of gang affiliations, based on the presence of tattoos: flowers, a soccer logo, an autism-awareness ribbon. Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 3 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for questionable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for questionable
Adjective
  • Their dubious ‘reward’ for topping the league phase table was a matchup with another of the best teams on the continent, Paris Saint-Germain, who had underperformed in the league phase but were an obvious sleeping giant.
    James Nalton, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • After the 2020 election, Fox took her off the air because her promotion of the false contention Dominion voting machines rigged the election against Trump became part of its $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox. Pirro and Martin are not the only dubious department appointees.
    Carl Leubsdorf, Mercury News, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • Not cut out for heroics, inept ant soldiers Arnie and Barney decide to tackle the problem by themselves, inadvertently becoming the most unlikely of heroes in the process.
    Ed Meza, Variety, 19 May 2025
  • In markets like the U.S. and the U.K., government bonds have historically been considered safe investments, as the governments were considered highly unlikely to default on their debts.
    Chloe Taylor,Holly Ellyatt,Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • What is not debatable is that the US-Ukraine minerals deal, while hollow in immediate extractive gain for the US and in many respects a Trump defeat, heralds a new age.
    Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
  • Whether tariffs are good policy or not is debatable.
    Vicki Abeles, Mercury News, 7 May 2025
Adjective
  • Hours before tip-off, word spread that Gordon was doubtful to play and that this injury would take weeks to recover from.
    Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • Nonetheless, the stock has declined nearly 40% from its peak in 2024, as investors remain doubtful regarding these plans.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • This is potentially problematic to some U.S. analysts, given Saudi Arabia and the UAE’s close ties with China.
    Andrew R. Chow, Time, 14 May 2025
  • The president’s high-profile and problematic approach to deportation, while politically popular with his constituency, costs a lot of money.
    Veronique de Rugy, Twin Cities, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • But the matchup turned controversial in the third quarter.
    Natasha Dye, People.com, 19 May 2025
  • Anno 117 doesn't seem to reinvent the experience compared to 1800, but after the controversial attempts that preceded both of these titles, that may not be a bad thing.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • Joshua later discovered that the police received a tip about a suspicious vehicle earlier that day.
    Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2025
  • Aurora police received reports at about 3 p.m. Monday of a suspicious person trespassing at The Parking Spot in the 19900 block of East 56th Avenue, trying to break into vehicles and refusing to leave, according to a news release from the police department.
    Katie Langford, Denver Post, 13 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Questionable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/questionable. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on questionable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!