feel dubious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "feel dubious" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing uncertainty or skepticism about something. Example: "I feel dubious about the effectiveness of this new marketing strategy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Books

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Nonetheless, there is something about Extremely Loud that does indeed feel dubious.

The Guardian - Film

Hill says: "But I want the poem to have this dubious end; because I feel dubious; and the whole business is dubious".

The Guardian - Books

It is easy to feel dubious about whether this optimistic vision of the transformative power of dance will take off in London, which remains at heart reserved and staid in character.

The New York Times

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has vowed to crack down on Republican filibusters several times with no effect, so it's hard not to feel dubious about his latest threat to change Senate rules if Republicans continue to block President Obama's nominations.

The New York Times

Hill says: "But I want the poem to have this dubious end; because I feel dubious; and the whole business is dubious". He's not wrong: and that sentence, balanced on the fulcrums of its semicolons, alerts us to the delicately measured nuances of these lines.

The Guardian - Books

Citizens may not care all that much about where a farm subsidy goes, but they will expect a clear explanation of why their planes are dropping bombs and who is giving the orders.If governments still feel dubious about acknowledging the full role of the EU in national life, they should remind themselves of the line all of them peddled when they first got into the European game.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Feeling dubious, I wandered over to the kitchen tent.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Timbuktu's appellation as a city feels dubious.

The Guardian

He issued a statement in which, speaking on the behalf of the academy, he criticised Tolstoy for having "condemned all forms of civilisation... one feels dubious".

The Guardian - Books

My own reason for not, in the end, doing so was that I knew myself to be too frivolous for the necessary commitment, and there was also a streak of something more respectable in my motive: I felt dubious about ends justifying means, which I took to be an important part of Communist thinking.

The Guardian - Books

The recently updated Cochrane handbook [ 6] now gives overlapping rather than mutually exclusive regions for low, moderate and high heterogeneity, but when the heterogeneity is measured with as much uncertainty as in the Cervix 3 meta-analysis (90% reference intervals for of 0% to 93%) any categorisation feels dubious.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "feel dubious", ensure that the context clearly indicates what you are uncertain or skeptical about. This prevents ambiguity and strengthens your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "feel dubious" when discussing objective facts or widely accepted truths. The phrase is best suited for expressing subjective uncertainty or skepticism towards claims, plans, or proposals.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "feel dubious" functions as a verb phrase expressing a subjective state of mind, specifically a feeling of doubt or uncertainty about something. It's used to convey that someone is not entirely convinced or trusting of a particular situation, idea, or claim. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is valid and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Books

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "feel dubious" serves as a means to articulate uncertainty and skepticism. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. While not as common as "have doubts", "feel dubious" injects a specific flavor of suspicion into the expression. It appears primarily in news and media, books, and scientific contexts. When using this expression, be mindful to link it clearly to the subject of your doubt, avoiding broad or generalized statements. For alternatives, consider "feel doubtful", "feel uncertain", or "feel skeptical" to match the desired shade of meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

feel doubtful

Replaces "dubious" with "doubtful", a direct synonym, maintaining a high degree of semantic similarity.

feel uncertain

Substitutes "dubious" with "uncertain", suggesting a lack of sureness or confidence.

feel skeptical

Replaces "dubious" with "skeptical", indicating a questioning or doubting attitude.

feel apprehensive

Shifts the focus to a feeling of anxiety or unease about something, rather than simple doubt.

feel wary

Emphasizes caution and a lack of trust.

feel suspicious

Suggests a belief that something is wrong or dishonest.

harbor doubts

Uses a more formal tone and focuses on the existence of doubts.

have reservations

Implies a withholding of complete approval or agreement.

be of two minds

Expresses indecision and conflicting thoughts.

take with a grain of salt

Indicates a cautious acceptance of information, suggesting it might not be entirely accurate.

FAQs

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

You can use "feel dubious" to express uncertainty or skepticism about something. For example, "I "feel dubious" about the effectiveness of this plan" or "She "felt dubious" about his promises".

What's the difference between "feel dubious" and "feel doubtful"?

While both phrases express uncertainty, "feel doubtful" tends to focus more on a lack of conviction, while "feel dubious" often suggests a suspicion or questioning of something's validity. They are largely interchangeable, but ""feel dubious"" can carry a slightly stronger sense of skepticism.

What can I say instead of "feel dubious"?

You can use alternatives like "feel uncertain", "feel skeptical", or "harbor doubts" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more common to say "feel dubious" or "have doubts"?

"Have doubts" is a more common and general expression of uncertainty. "Feel dubious" is less frequent but adds a layer of skepticism or suspicion to the expression of doubt.