Dubiously

Dubiously means in a way that shows hesitation or doubt. It implies a lack of certainty or conviction about something, often arising from suspicion, skepticism, or a feeling of unease. It signifies questioning the truth, validity, or trustworthiness of a claim, action, or person. When someone acts dubiously, they're not fully convinced, and their behavior reflects that uncertainty. The word often suggests caution and a careful evaluation of information before accepting it as accurate.

Dubiously meaning with examples

• The detective examined the forged document dubiously, turning it over and scrutinizing the watermarks, aware of the many inconsistencies. He wasn’t sure if he could trust the source. His gut feeling was that it was a bad forgery. It was crucial that they solve this. He had to find the true culprit.
• Sarah looked at the advertisement dubiously. It promised incredible weight loss in a week, she had to make the right choice. The offer seemed too good to be true, and she knew she was going to doubt it. Years of experience taught her to approach such claims with healthy skepticism and that anything that promised quick results was likely fake.
• The audience listened to the politician’s speech dubiously. The speech was very convincing but there were inconsistencies with the politicians previous statements. Some people in the audience already knew he was being dishonest. The promises made conflicted with the candidate's track record, so this would be tough.
• After hearing the witness’s account, the jury members considered it dubiously. Several elements of his testimony didn't align with other evidence. They had a hard time understanding this information, and they began to question his truthfulness. The defense attorney even pointed out several issues that raised red flags. It was all on the table.
• The scientist regarded the untested results dubiously, questioning the methods used to achieve them. They had a difficult time believing the data and the scientist had his concerns. The study lacked proper controls, the research design seemed flawed, and the sample size was small. He wanted to repeat the tests before making any firm conclusions.