How to Use doubtful in a Sentence

doubtful

adjective
  • The truth of the statements was doubtful.
  • I tried to reassure them, but they remained doubtful.
  • Their decisions were based on data of doubtful accuracy.
  • The prospects for the Tokyo Olympics in July and August are doubtful.
    The Economist, 21 Mar. 2020
  • The Big Ten would have to make concessions, and that’s doubtful.
    Ndaschel, oregonlive, 25 Aug. 2023
  • Whether the Wildcats can win two more games is doubtful.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Early in the morning a snowflake could be mixed in but that is doubtful.
    Washington Post, 25 Nov. 2021
  • First though, the band that everybody would start with but, to me, is doubtful.
    Steve Baltin, Forbes, 1 June 2021
  • Walker was doubtful to play and was scratched about two hours before the game with a neck strain.
    BostonGlobe.com, 26 Nov. 2019
  • What’s doubtful, however, is if there is any truth to the posts.
    Leada Gore | [email protected], al, 5 Dec. 2019
  • Part of you wants to join them, but another part of you may be doubtful.
    Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, 21 Mar. 2021
  • The mayor seemed doubtful that the city would sponsor pride events in the future that would allow the flags to fly again.
    Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 Aug. 2020
  • Even as a starter, Wells is doubtful to carry a full workload in 2022.
    Nathan Ruiz, Baltimore Sun, 26 Mar. 2022
  • He is listed as doubtful for Thursday’s game against the Spurs.
    Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024
  • He is listed as doubtful, but the Seahawks are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel for Snell.
    oregonlive, 4 Dec. 2020
  • Thibodeaux is day-to-day and Swinson is doubtful this week.
    oregonlive, 20 Sep. 2021
  • McGann seemed doubtful, but some other men whooped and hollered, and that felt great.
    Mike O’Brien, The New Yorker, 9 Nov. 2023
  • And Mahomes is doubtful for the Chiefs, still on the mend from dislocating a knee.
    Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2019
  • But one look at the forthcoming movie’s cast should placate even the most doubtful mind.
    Estelle Tang, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2019
  • The headstock bore the Gibson logo, but Van Halen was doubtful.
    Mark Yarm, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2021
  • Other experts are doubtful and have warned that cheap, rapid tests will not work as promised.
    Alexis C. Madrigal, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2020
  • With Ja Morant doubtful to play, the return of Brooks is even more important.
    Damichael Cole, USA TODAY, 10 May 2022
  • The Kings are listing Fox as doubtful against the Warriors due to a right glute contusion.
    Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 5 Jan. 2025
  • Bashaw was sure that guests would want to do farm labor, even if the number crunchers were doubtful.
    Adam Erace, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2023
  • Smith is doubtful to play against LSU, while Mukuamu has practiced this week.
    Christopher Smith, al, 23 Oct. 2020
  • Kerr said Iguodala is doubtful to play on this trip, but his progress is promising.
    C.j. Holmes, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Mar. 2022
  • Game notes: Blake Griffin (left knee) is doubtful to play against his former team.
    Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press, 2 Jan. 2020
  • Right now many people are doubtful about solar and wind.
    Wired, 31 July 2022
  • Wide receiver Skyy Moore is the only doubtful player the team has.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025
  • But Musk, who now has wide-ranging clearances and reportedly even his own office inside the Trump White House, seems doubtful.
    Chris Welch, The Verge, 22 Jan. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'doubtful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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