dubious

/ˈdjuːbi.əs/

Group 19Difficulty 1/3

Definition

(adjective)
Hesitating or doubting; not to be relied upon; suspect
GRE

Example in Context

Investors remained dubious about the company's optimistic forecasts, given its track record of overpromising and underdelivering.

Synonyms

doubtfulsuspicioussketchy

Etymology

Something that inspires doubt or suspicion.

  • dubius (Latin) — doubtful

Memory Aid

🤔Sounds like “do be us

When I hear 'do be us' for dinner, I’m DUBIOUS if that’s really what we’re having!

Visual Association

🙄A person looking skeptical at a dinner invitation, raising an eyebrow in doubt.

Semantic Clusters

Synonym Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “dubious” mean on the GRE?

dubious (adjective) means “Hesitating or doubting; not to be relied upon; suspect”. Investors remained dubious about the company's optimistic forecasts, given its track record of overpromising and underdelivering.

How to remember “dubious” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “dubious” sounds like “do be us”. When I hear 'do be us' for dinner, I’m DUBIOUS if that’s really what we’re having!

What are synonyms for “dubious”?

Common synonyms: doubtful, suspicious, sketchy.