doubted; doubting; doubts
1
: to call into question the truth of : to be uncertain or in doubt about
He doubts everyone's word.
2
a
: to lack confidence in : distrust
… find myself doubting him even when I know that he is honest …—
H. L. Mencken
H. L. Mencken
b
: to consider unlikely
I doubt if I can go.
: to be uncertain
plural doubts
1
a
: a lack of confidence : distrust
has doubts about his abilities
b
: an inclination not to believe or accept
a claim met with doubt
2
a
: uncertainty of belief or opinion that often interferes with decision-making
b
: a deliberate suspension of judgment
3
: a state of affairs giving rise to uncertainty, hesitation, or suspense
The outcome is still in doubt.
see also:
Examples of doubt in a Sentence
Verb
I have always doubted the existence of life on other planets.
No one doubts that the mission will be a success.
I seriously doubt my parents will let me go.
“Do you think you can come tonight?” “I doubt it.”
She doubted his ability to succeed.
He said he could do it, but I couldn't help doubting him.
Noun
I still have moments of doubt.
There can be little doubt that smoking is bad for your health.
I had a nagging doubt in the back of my mind.
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
6 July 2026
But estimate-beating earnings reports and buoyant guidance—which the 1990s tech bubble lacked—haven’t been enough to sustain bullishness as investors start to doubt whether profits will come in as strong as expected.
—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
5 July 2026
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
5 July 2026
As tech stocks waver on doubts the AI boom will prove sustainable, India is emerging as a safe haven for global investors looking to hedge their bets and weather the volatility, Bloomberg wrote.
—
J.d. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
5 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for doubt
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Verb
Several universities have trimmed student costs in response, but some experts doubt that will happen at significant scale.
—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
6 July 2026
But estimate-beating earnings reports and buoyant guidance—which the 1990s tech bubble lacked—haven’t been enough to sustain bullishness as investors start to doubt whether profits will come in as strong as expected.
—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
5 July 2026
Noun
Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie looked like Serie A regulars, Folarin Balogun’s finishing was on song and Gio Reyna put to rest any doubts about his selection by channelling his inner Luka Modric.
—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
5 July 2026
As tech stocks waver on doubts the AI boom will prove sustainable, India is emerging as a safe haven for global investors looking to hedge their bets and weather the volatility, Bloomberg wrote.
—
J.d. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
5 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for doubt
Cite this Entry
“Doubt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doubt. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
doubt
2 of 2 noun1
: uncertainty of belief or opinion
2
: the state of being uncertain
the outcome is in doubt
3
a
: a lack of confidence
b
: an inclination not to believe or accept
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