Do you know the definition of doubt? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word doubt, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!
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Kevin
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September 12, 2021
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What does the word doubt mean?
According to Collins English Dictionary and the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the word doubt can be used as a noun or a verb to refer to a lack of conviction, state of uncertainty, or lack of knowledge that something is true, genuine, or possible. Different suffixes can be added to the word doubt to form different tenses of the verb doubt such as the present participle or past participle. The pronunciation of doubt is daʊt.
There are many different words, idioms and phrases that use the word doubt, including beyond reasonable doubt, beyond doubt, beyond a shadow of a doubt, benefit of the doubt, little doubt, doubtless, reasonable doubt, shadow of doubt, self-doubt, doubtful, without doubt, and no doubt. Many of these expressions of doubt are varieties of standard speech and informal speech, as well as in interrogative sentences or a subordinate clause. In such sentences, these will usually be used in negative statements but can also be used to form a positive sentence in American English and British English. One can doubt many things, including motives behind a proposition, the factuality of a statement, someone’s mental state or fluctuation of mind on an emotional level, the assent of a prosecution, a state of opinion or relevant action, contradictory propositions, and more.
Many different languages also contain words that mean doubt. You might notice that some of these words look and sound like the word doubt. These are called cognates. Cognates, which are words and phrases that look and sound similar across languages while also retaining the same meaning, are usually formed when two words have the same language of origin or root word. This list of translations for the word doubt is provided by Word Sense.
- Interlingua: dubita
- Urdu: شک
- Turkish: şüphe, kuşku
- Armenian: կասկած, տարակույս, երկմտանք, երկբայություն, երկբայանք, կասկածելիություն
- Lithuanian: abejonė (fem.), dvejonė (fem.) (rare)
- Cyrillic: сумња (fem.)
- Old French: doutance (fem.)
- Georgian: ეჭვი
- Arabic: شَكّ (masc.)
- Persian: شک (šak)
- Manx: dooyt, ourys (masc.)
- Dutch: twijfel (fem.)
- Telugu: సందేహము, శంక
- Latin: dubitas (fem.), dubitatio (fem.), dubium
- Norwegian: tvil (masc.)
- Irish: aincheas (masc.)
- Hebrew: סָפֵק
- Greek: αμφιβολία (fem.)
- Czech: pochybnost (fem.), pochyba (fem.)
- Bulgarian: съмне́ние (neut.)
- Estonian: kõhklus
- Korean: 의혹 (疑惑)
- Icelandic: efasemd (fem.), vafi (masc.), efi (masc.)
- Finnish: epäily, epäilys
- Hungarian: kétség
- Danish: tvivl (common)
- Indonesian: ragu, bimbang
- Japanese: 不審 (ふしん, fushin), 疑い (うたがい, utagai), 疑問 (ぎもん, gimon)
- Latvian: šaubas (pl.)
- Slovak: pochybnosť (fem.)
- Belarusian: су́мнеў (masc.)
- Faroese: ivi (masc.)
- Swedish: tvekan (uncountable), tvivel (neut.)
- Esperanto: dubo
- Hindi: संदेह (masc.)
- Swahili: shaka
- Spanish: duda (fem.), incertidumbre (fem.)
- French: doute (masc.)
- Luxembourgish: Zweiwel (masc.)
- Volapük: dot
- Slovene: dvom (masc.)
- Macedonian: сомнеж (masc.), сомневање (neut.)
- Welsh: amheuaeth (fem.)
- Tagalog: duda, alinlangan
- Scottish Gaelic: teagamh (masc.), amharas (masc.), mì-chinnt (fem.)
- Italian: dubbio (masc.)
- Romanian: dubiu, îndoială
- West Frisian: twivel (common)
- Ukrainian: су́мнів (masc.)
- Thai: สงสัย (sǒng-sǎi)
- Kurdish: guman (fem.), şik (fem.), şube (fem.), gûş (fem.), hulhul (fem.), şûf (fem.), گومان
- Asturian: dulda (fem.), duda (fem.)
- Galician: dúbida (fem.)
- Ido: dubito
- Catalan: dubte (masc.)
- German: Zweifel (masc.)
- Portuguese: dúvida (fem.), incerteza (fem.)
- Polish: wątpliwość (fem.)
- Mandarin: 懷疑, 怀疑 (huáiyí), 疑惑 (yíhuò), 疑問, 疑问 (yíwèn)
- Kazakh: күмән, шүбә
- Russian: сомне́ние
- Roman: sumnja (fem.)
What are synonyms and antonyms of doubt?
There are a lot of different words that a person can use in place of the word doubt. These are called synonyms, which are words and phrases that have the same definition as another word or phrase. Synonyms are a great way to avoid repeating the same word over and over again and can also be useful to expand your vocabulary. This list of synonyms for the word doubt is provided by Power Thesaurus.
- suspicions
- vacillate
- suspicion
- cynicism
- indecision
- misgiving
- query
- confusion
- insecurity
- hesitation
- wariness
- hesitate
- qualm
- mistrust
- dubiety
- hesitancy
- be doubtful
- queries
- vacillation
- incredulity
- reservation
- disbelieve
- be suspicious of
- doubtfulness
- uncertainty
- disbelief
- question
- suspense
- distrust
- call into question
- suspect
- scruple
- apprehension
- questioning
- scepticism
- dubiousness
- skepticism
- incertitude
- misgivings
- dispute
- reservations
- have doubts
- discredit
- doubting
- fear
- misdoubt
- challenge
- waver
- diffidence
- irresolution
There are also numerous different words and phrases that have the opposite meaning as the word doubt. These opposite words are called antonyms. Antonyms are another quick and easy way to expand your English language vocabulary. This list of opposite words for the word doubt is also provided by Power Thesaurus.
- swallow
- trust
- directness
- optimism
- support
- conviction
- rely
- sureness
- hope
- approve
- confidence
- believe in
- be certain
- reliance
- be convinced by
- explicitness
- lucidity
- simplicity
- have faith in
- definition
- stay
- peace
- depend on
- certitude
- distinctness
- have confidence in
- positivity
- perspicuity
- patience
- comprehensibility
- go along
- ease
- obviousness
- accept as true
- calm
- limpidity
- harmony
- unambiguity
- encouragement
- happiness
- not question
- clarity
- definiteness
- exactness
- acclaim
- affirm
- credence
- accredit
- perspicuousness
- precision
- sharpness
- agree on
- firmly believe
- no worries
- transparency
- agree with
- clearness
- think
- take for granted
- hopefulness
- key
- lucidness
- clarification
- openness
- determination
- surety
- certainty
- believe
- plainness
- assurance
- answer
- accept
- agree on something
- resolution
- calmness
- credit
- resolve
- brightness
- alacrity
- be absolutely sure
- anticipation
- faith
- oracle bones
- solution
- agree
- self-confidence
- positiveness
- accuracy
- interpretation
- explication
- woman tough
- articulateness
- belief
- boldness
- explanation
- assuredness
- assume
What is the origin of the word doubt?
According to Etymonline, the word doubt has been used since the Middle English douten and duten. These come from the Old French douter and doter, from the Latin dubitāre. This comes from the Latin dubius and duo meaning two.
Overall, the word doubt means a lack of conviction or to lack conviction in. This word can either be used as a noun or a verb. There are many different words and phrases that have come from the word doubt. Try using this word of the day in a sentence today!
Sources:
- doubt: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense
- Doubt synonyms – 3 339 Words and Phrases for Doubt | Power Thesaurus
- Doubt antonyms – 2 012 Opposites of Doubt | Power Thesaurus
- Doubt definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
- doubt | Origin and meaning of doubt | Online Etymology Dictionary
