it is highly dubious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it is highly dubious" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing skepticism or doubt about the validity or truth of a statement or claim. Example: "The evidence presented in the report is insufficient, and it is highly dubious that the conclusions drawn are accurate."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Many mainstream economists do not question the degree of this engineering, even when it is highly dubious.

The Guardian - Opinion

He ended on a downbeat note that was strange, given the four years of Bush control and midterm triumph: "I think it is highly dubious that we will win the culture war.

The Guardian

But it is highly dubious that it disbelieved some meta-linguistic proposition.

SEP

But it is doubtful that there were at any time widespread uses of propositional attitude reporting sentences that met the necessary conditions for being conversational implicatures, as it is highly dubious that ordinary speakers ever realized that sentences like (1) and (4) say the same thing.

SEP

For our purposes, we place "database" in the services category due to databases' need for a retrieval mechanism to provide their fullest value; consider that, if one did not have the need to eventually retrieve the data, then the need to store it is highly dubious.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

The more Bush officials try to explain how the president made the bogus uranium claim in his State of the Union address, despite the C.I.A. red flags and the State Department warning that it was "highly dubious," the more inexplicable it seems.

The New York Times

The claim that Los Angeles will have the strongest teacher and leader force in the state, based on its own plan is highly dubious, and the magical levels of achievement promised by this plan, ensuring no more than 10% of Los Angeles schools will be labeled failing, unfortunately does not jive with the evidence either.

Huffington Post

While this argument is highly dubious on its face, it is worth looking more closely at what it implies.

Huffington Post

As ConWebWatch has detailed, WND has collaborated with Taitz on such issues, and the petition itself is highly dubious since it has no apparent verification mechanism to block multiple or ineligible signatures.

Huffington Post

"ONCE ajar, the door to female mystery is hard to shut again," says a seemingly wise old psychiatrist in Patrice Leconte's "Intimate Strangers" ("Confidences Trop Intimes"), opening on Friday, and while the relevance of that plummy bon mot to real life is highly dubious, its applicability to the careers of French actresses is inarguable.

The New York Times

And, by the way, the claim that the plan would keep Medicare as we know it intact for Americans currently 55 or older is highly dubious.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it is highly dubious" to express a strong sense of skepticism about a claim or statement, especially when you have reasons to doubt its validity. Be prepared to explain why you find it dubious.

Common error

Avoid using "it is highly dubious" too frequently in your writing, as it can make your tone sound overly critical or cynical. Vary your language by using alternatives like "questionable" or "uncertain" where appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it is highly dubious" functions as an evaluative statement, expressing a strong degree of doubt or skepticism about a particular claim, statement, or situation. This is consistent with Ludwig's examples which show the phrase being used to challenge assertions and question their validity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it is highly dubious" is a grammatically correct and usable expression in English, used to convey significant doubt or skepticism. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for expressing reservations about claims or situations. While relatively formal, it's most commonly found in news and media, with some occurrences in scientific contexts. When you want to express strong doubt, remember that there are alternative phrases like "it is highly questionable" or "it seems highly unlikely" that can add nuance to your writing. However, it should be used judiciously to prevent sounding overly critical.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it is highly questionable

Replaces "dubious" with "questionable", suggesting a similar level of uncertainty.

it is highly doubtful

Substitutes "dubious" with "doubtful", conveying almost the same meaning.

it is very questionable

Replaces "highly" with "very", weakening the strength of the statement a bit.

it is quite uncertain

Uses "uncertain" instead of "dubious", highlighting the lack of certainty.

it seems highly unlikely

Focuses on the improbability of something rather than its dubiousness.

there is considerable doubt

Shifts the focus to the existence of doubt itself.

the claim is dubious

Shortens the phrase and directly attributes the dubiousness to a "claim".

its veracity is suspect

Emphasizes the potential lack of truthfulness or accuracy.

serious reservations exist

Highlights the existence of significant concerns or doubts.

i have strong doubts about that

Personalizes the expression of doubt, making it a direct statement of disbelief.

FAQs

What does "it is highly dubious" mean?

The phrase "it is highly dubious" means that something is very questionable, doubtful, or unlikely to be true or valid. It expresses a strong sense of skepticism.

How can I use "it is highly dubious" in a sentence?

You can use "it is highly dubious" when you want to express that you strongly doubt the truth or validity of something. For example, "It is highly dubious that the company will meet its projected earnings this year."

What can I say instead of "it is highly dubious"?

You can use alternatives like "it is highly questionable", "it is highly doubtful", or "it seems highly unlikely depending on the context.

Is "it is highly dubious" formal or informal?

"It is highly dubious" is generally considered relatively formal, suitable for academic writing, news reports, and professional communications. In very informal settings, simpler phrases may be more appropriate.