it appears dubious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it appears dubious" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing skepticism or uncertainty about the validity or truth of something. Example: "The evidence presented in the report is not convincing; it appears dubious at best."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

He said it "appears dubious" that the post was an actual threat.

The New York Times

One of them, Aaron Y . Zelin the editor of the blog Jihadology and a researcher in the department of politics at Brandeis University, said in an e-mail that it "appears dubious" that the post was a real threat.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It has been claimed (by Tambrun 2007 and Siniossoglou 2011) that Plethon rejected the transcendence of the highest god (Zeus), and that his theology therefore, in contrast to both the Christian and the Neoplatonic consensus, was entirely positive, but this appears dubious (see Hladký 2014).

SEP

That claim has yet to be substantiated, and appears dubious in light of Friday's decision in this matter.

Huffington Post

The use of confirmatory factor analysis appears dubious as strategy for examining the potential usefulness of the scale.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Caro appears dubious at first, but eventually says he will share the message with his fellow students.

Unicef

At a fusion restaurant, it can sometimes pay to gamble on dishes that appear dubious.

The New Yorker

Regardless, some fans appear dubious.

The New York Times - Sports

Use of statistical data or figures that appear dubious or wrong is another important theme.

The Guardian

The foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, has also expressed his concern, but appeared dubious about the need for such a probe.

The Guardian

And the growing presence has given Turkey an expanding field of influence in Europe at a time when the country's prospects of joining the European Union appear dubious.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it appears dubious" when you want to express skepticism about a claim or situation without making a definitive judgment. It suggests uncertainty based on available evidence.

Common error

Avoid using "it appears dubious" when you have concrete evidence to disprove something. The phrase is best suited for expressing a sense of uncertainty rather than declaring something false.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it appears dubious" functions as an evaluative assessment, expressing a degree of skepticism or doubt about a particular claim, situation, or piece of information. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, indicating its proper use in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

31%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Wiki

6%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it appears dubious" is a grammatically correct phrase used to express skepticism or uncertainty about something. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and offers several examples from diverse sources like The New York Times and The Guardian. While not exceedingly common, its use is consistent across various contexts, including news, science, and formal business settings. Alternatives such as "it seems doubtful" or "it looks questionable" can offer similar nuances. The phrase is best used when you want to express doubt without making a definitive negative statement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it seems doubtful

Replaces "appears" with "seems" and "dubious" with "doubtful", maintaining a similar level of skepticism.

it looks questionable

Substitutes "appears" with "looks" and "dubious" with "questionable", indicating something is not quite right.

it seems suspicious

Replaces "appears" with "seems" and "dubious" with "suspicious", suggesting a hint of mistrust.

it appears questionable

Maintains "appears" but replaces "dubious" with "questionable", implying uncertainty about validity.

it seems improbable

Substitutes "appears dubious" with "seems improbable", conveying a low likelihood of being true.

it looks doubtful

Replaces "appears" with "looks" and "dubious" with "doubtful", expressing uncertainty.

it is suspect

Replaces the entire phrase with a shorter, more direct expression of doubt.

it is unconvincing

Shifts focus to the lack of persuasiveness rather than direct dubiousness.

it is implausible

Indicates a lack of believability, suggesting it's hard to accept as true.

it raises questions

Indicates that something causes uncertainty or doubt.

FAQs

How can I use "it appears dubious" in a sentence?

You can use "it appears dubious" to express uncertainty or skepticism about a claim or situation. For example, "The witness's account of the event "it appears dubious", given the conflicting evidence."

What are some alternatives to "it appears dubious"?

Alternatives include "it seems doubtful", "it looks questionable", or "it seems suspicious", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "it appears dubious" formal or informal?

"It appears dubious" is generally considered neutral to slightly formal. It's suitable for academic, professional, and journalistic contexts.

What's the difference between "it appears dubious" and "it is dubious"?

"It appears dubious" suggests that something seems doubtful based on current information, while "it is dubious" is a more direct statement of doubt. The former leaves room for the possibility of being wrong, while the latter expresses stronger conviction.