dubiously

/ˈdub.i.əs.li/

//ˈdub.i.əs.li// adv

"dubiously" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dubiously” is an uncommon English word, ranked #85,199 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#85,199
frequency rank, English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In a dubious manner.

Key facts for dubiously
PropertyValue
Headworddubiously
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈdub.i.əs.li/
Letters9
Frequency rank#85,199
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dubiously” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). dubiously lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for dubiously is 9 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdub.i.əs.li/. Corpus data places it at rank #85,199 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for dubiously, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From dubious + -ly. The correct English form is dubiously, spelled D-U-B-I-O-U-S-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a dubious manner.
  2. 2
    Accompanied by doubt, or anxious uncertainty.

Etymology

From dubious + -ly.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "dubiously"?
"dubiously" is spelled D-U-B-I-O-U-S-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdub.i.əs.li/.
What does "dubiously" mean?
As an adverb, "dubiously" means: In a dubious manner.
How do you pronounce "dubiously"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dubiously" is /ˈdub.i.əs.li/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "dubiously"?
From dubious + -ly. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “dubiously”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-U-B-I-O-U-S-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdub.i.əs.li/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list