questionable

adjective

ques·​tion·​able ˈkwes-chə-nə-bəl How to pronounce questionable (audio)
ˈkwesh-
in rapid speech ˈkwesh-nə-
Synonyms of questionablenext
1
obsolete : inviting inquiry
2
obsolete : liable to judicial inquiry or action
3
: affording reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged : not certain or exact : problematic
milk of questionable purity
a questionable decision
4
: attended by well-grounded suspicions of being immoral, crude, false, or unsound : dubious
questionable motives
questionableness noun
questionably
ˈkwes-chə-nə-blē How to pronounce questionable (audio)
ˈkwesh-
in rapid speech ˈkwesh-nə-
adverb

Synonyms of questionable

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doubtful, dubious, problematic, questionable mean not affording assurance of the worth, soundness, or certainty of something.

doubtful implies little more than a lack of conviction or certainty.

doubtful about whether I said the right thing

dubious stresses suspicion, mistrust, or hesitation.

dubious about the practicality of the scheme

problematic applies especially to things whose existence, meaning, fulfillment, or realization is highly uncertain.

whether the project will ever be finished is problematic

questionable may imply no more than the existence of doubt but usually suggests that the suspicions are well-grounded.

a man of questionable honesty

Examples of questionable in a Sentence

The truth of the statements was highly questionable. The water available in the village is of questionable quality. a man of questionable character They acquired the money through questionable means. The company is facing a questionable future.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The team did have some questionable losses, which have been their downfall over the past few seasons. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 The only player who was not on the plane was defensive end Sam Okuayinonu, who is questionable for the game with a foot injury, the 49ers announced. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Some of the Dolphins’ most questionable positions include cornerback, safety, tight end and offensive line. — Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 Penalties hurt Tech, in addition to a few questionable calls on video review. — AJC.com, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for questionable

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of questionable was in the 15th century

Rhymes for questionable

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Browse Nearby Words

question
questionable
questionableness
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Cite this Entry

“Questionable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/questionable. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

questionable

adjective
ques·​tion·​able ˈkwes-chə-nə-bəl How to pronounce questionable (audio)
ˈkwesh-
1
: open to doubt, question, or challenge : not certain or exact
milk of questionable purity
a questionable decision
2
: believed to be bad, false, or unsound : dubious
questionable motives
questionably
-blē How to pronounce questionable (audio)
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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