dubiously

/ˈdub.i.əs.li/

//ˈdub.i.əs.li// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

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

The verdict

“dubiously” is uncommon English (frequency #85,199 among 3,470 “D” headwords), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#85,199
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a dubious manner.

Corpus desk

Index EN-dubiously · dubiously · English

dubiously · rank #85,199 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #85,199
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH ductility

Nearest frequency peer: ductility (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “dubiously”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “dubiously” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
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)

Long-tail rank of “dubiously” in English

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

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “ductility” (#85,200), “drydock” (#85,196), “dukedom” (#85,202). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “dubiously” is #85,199. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

dubiously is uncommon English at frequency #85,199 among 3,470 “D” headwords, classed as anadverb, transcribed /ˈdub.i.əs.li/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how dubiously appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. They had perpetuated a dubiously holy union of Church and State that had refused for centuries to hear the cry of the poor and the oppressed.
  2. But, this information is relegated to a footnote, and no examples of dubiously English words are provided.

Etymology

From dubious + -ly.

This word in other languages

dudosamente(Español)dubitativement(Français)

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "dubiously", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

ductility#85,200downtempo#85,193ecumenism#85,210emollient#85,217

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list