dubious practices

USAGE SUMMARY

"dubious practices" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to practices that are considered questionable, suspicious, or of questionable legitimacy. For example: "The company's dubious practices raised a lot of red flags."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

The accusations made by HP allege several dubious practices.

The Guardian - Business

The recent developments in junk bond investing also highlight, again, the dubious practices and privileges of private equity firms.

The New York Times

Among those respondents who employ mutual fund managers, 70percentt said they thought dubious practices were systemic in the industry.

The New York Times

The complaint also described dubious practices in Countrywide's huge servicing arm, which oversees $1.5 trillion in loans.

The New York Times

Given the number of new borrowers falling daily into the foreclosure mire, dubious practices by servicers are beyond troubling.

The New York Times

Twenty-nine months later, a federal magistrate just dismissed the sheriff from the Shakman case because he has dealt ably with illegal and other dubious practices.

The New York Times

In the past, for example, Mr. Spitzer has railed against offshore tax shelters, portraying them as dubious practices of the financial elite.

The New York Times

We have allowed what should be a market for an essentially simple service to become a byword for complexity and confusion and sometimes very dubious practices".

Independent

Research firms like Mr. Block's Muddy Waters, Citron Research and GeoInvesting are taking direct aim at reverse mergers they say have dubious practices.

The New York Times

No one disputes that regulators allowed banks to distribute risky loans to subprime borrowers, among other dubious practices, leading up to the financial crisis.

The New York Times

But Dr Mahathir clearly sees a difference between his own brand of "strong leadership" and the dubious practices of others in power.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "dubious practices", ensure the context clearly indicates why the practices are considered questionable, such as lack of transparency, ethical concerns, or potential illegality. For example: "The company's "dubious practices" regarding data collection raised privacy concerns."

Common error

Avoid using "dubious practices" without providing any context or evidence to support the claim. Simply labeling something as "dubious" without further explanation weakens your argument and can be perceived as biased or unsubstantiated. For example, instead of saying 'The company engaged in "dubious practices"', specify what those practices were and why they are questionable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "dubious practices" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "dubious" modifies the noun "practices". Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It acts as a subject or object in a sentence, denoting actions or methods of questionable legitimacy.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Formal & Business

8%

Science

4%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "dubious practices" effectively describes actions or methods that are questionable or unethical. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in English. It is most frequently found in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Science contexts. The phrase is grammatically correct and serves to express criticism or suspicion. While alternatives like "questionable conduct" or "suspect activities" exist, "dubious practices" maintains a balance of formality and clarity, making it suitable for various professional and journalistic settings. It is important to provide context when using this phrase to substantiate the claim of dubiousness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

questionable conduct

Replaces "practices" with a more general term "conduct", widening the scope of the action.

suspect activities

Substitutes "dubious" with "suspect" and "practices" with "activities", emphasizing the element of suspicion.

unethical procedures

Replaces "dubious" with "unethical" providing a stronger judgement, and "practices" with "procedures", suggesting formal methods.

irregular operations

Emphasizes the non-standard nature of the activities, implying a deviation from norms.

shady dealings

Uses more informal language to describe secretive or dishonest transactions.

dodgy schemes

Replaces "practices" with "schemes" implying that the practices were part of a planned out strategy.

fishy maneuvers

Uses colloquial language to describe actions that appear suspicious or deceitful.

controversial methods

Focuses on the divisive nature of the methods used, suggesting disagreement or opposition.

problematic tactics

Highlights the issues or difficulties associated with the tactics employed.

risky ventures

Focuses on the potential negative outcomes or dangers associated with the undertakings.

FAQs

How can I use "dubious practices" in a sentence?

You can use "dubious practices" to describe actions or methods that are questionable or unethical. For example, "The investigation revealed several "dubious practices" within the company's accounting department."

What are some alternatives to saying "dubious practices"?

You can use alternatives like "questionable conduct", "suspect activities", or "unethical procedures" depending on the specific context.

What makes a practice "dubious"?

A practice is considered "dubious" when it raises concerns about its legitimacy, ethicality, or legality. This often involves a lack of transparency, potential for harm, or deviation from established norms.

Is "dubious practices" a formal or informal term?

"Dubious practices" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though it is more commonly found in news reports, formal investigations, and business discussions. More informal alternatives like "shady dealings" may be more appropriate in casual conversation.