# doubtful

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈdaʊtfəl/ · frequency rank #14,517

## Definitions
1. Subject to, or causing doubt.
2. Experiencing or showing doubt, skeptical.
3. Undecided or of uncertain outcome.
4. Fearsome, dreadful.
5. Improbable or unlikely.
6. Suspicious, or of dubious character.
7. Unclear or unreliable.

## Etymology
From Middle English doutfull, douteful, equivalent to doubt + -ful.

## Common misspellings (12)
`ddoubtful`, `dobutful`, `doubbtful`, `doubftul`, `doubtfful`, `doubtflu`, `doubtfull`, `doubttful`, `doubtufl`, `doutbful`, `duobtful`, `odubtful`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/doubtful