sounds questionable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sounds questionable" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing doubt or skepticism about the validity or reliability of something. Example: "The evidence presented in the report sounds questionable, and I think we need to investigate further."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

"Anyone can go and get a building and set up a school, and that sounds questionable to me.

The Guardian

Sounds questionable, but it must be true: a flight attendant says it on "Fly Girls," a reality series starting Wednesday night on CW.

The New York Times - Arts

What sounds questionable at best becomes debatable at least when the still-mounting sum of Johnson's efforts — like standing publicly tall against the tide of AIDS-driven fear and building commercial bridges between corporate and urban America — is considered.

The New York Times - Sports

That certainly sounds questionable, but the report goes on to state that the traders also believed that others trading in the market "were engaging in strategic pricing behavior and intentionally providing prices that did not accurately reflect market values".

The New York Times

These days, some might suggest that bringing students to a hip-hop musical as a method of firing imaginations sounds questionable, too.

Huffington Post

This possibility sounds questionable, as it may not be able to explain the common features of all eukaryotic cells.

Biology Direct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

The research might sound questionable, but that hasn't stopped a University of South Florida graduate student from doing a similar study, in 2012, of college hoops, "March Madness and Investor Mood".

The New Yorker

Officials in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon have launched new campaigns to prevent the use of "digital drugs"—audio files meant to induce drug-like states in listeners — even though the effectiveness of purportedly psychoactive sounds is questionable at best.

Vice

Which really doesn't sound too questionable at all.

Independent

Sound logic, questionable execution.

Huffington Post

It's hard to imagine a more essential career for a young urbanist, even though such a cadre sounds at least questionable as a source of crime-stopping.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sounds questionable" when you want to express polite skepticism or doubt about a statement or idea without directly contradicting it.

Common error

While useful for expressing doubt, relying too heavily on "sounds questionable" in formal academic or professional writing can make your analysis seem less assertive. Opt for stronger, more direct language like "lacks evidence" or "is unsupported by data" when appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sounds questionable" functions as an evaluative expression. It presents a subjective assessment of something, indicating that it may not be entirely valid, reliable, or truthful. Ludwig AI validates this use.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "sounds questionable" is used to express doubt or skepticism about something. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and usable in written English. While the phrase is not overly formal, it can be employed in a variety of contexts to politely express reservation. Some alternatives include "seems doubtful" and "appears dubious". Remember to consider your audience and the overall tone of your writing when deciding whether to use "sounds questionable" or a more direct expression of doubt.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

seems doubtful

Emphasizes a feeling of uncertainty or disbelief.

appears dubious

Highlights a superficial appearance of being untrustworthy.

raises suspicion

Suggests that something causes a feeling of mistrust or doubt.

seems implausible

Focuses on the lack of believability.

rings hollow

Implies a lack of sincerity or truthfulness.

seems fishy

An informal way of suggesting something is suspicious.

smells funny

Similar to "seems fishy", implying something is not right.

looks suspect

Focuses on the appearance of being untrustworthy.

is open to doubt

Indicates that something can be questioned or challenged.

arouses skepticism

Suggests that something provokes a questioning attitude.

FAQs

How can I use "sounds questionable" in a sentence?

Use "sounds questionable" when you want to express doubt or skepticism about something. For example, "His explanation for the missing funds sounds questionable, so we need to investigate further."

What are some alternatives to "sounds questionable"?

You can use alternatives like "seems doubtful", "appears dubious", or "raises suspicion" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "sounds questionable" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "sounds questionable" might be perceived as less assertive in formal writing. Consider using stronger phrases to convey doubt, especially in academic or professional contexts.

What's the difference between "sounds questionable" and "is questionable"?

"Sounds questionable" implies that the issue is questionable based on initial impressions, while "is questionable" states that the issue has been determined to be questionable after further consideration.