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Dubious vs Doubtfully - What's the difference?

dubious | doubtfully |

As an adjective dubious

is arousing doubt; questionable; open to suspicion.

As an adverb doubtfully is

in a doubtful manner, in context of doubt or ambiguity, questionably.

dubious

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Arousing doubt; questionable; open to suspicion.
    • After he made some dubious claims about the company, fewer people trusted him.
  • * 2011 , Nigel Jones, "A Tale of Two Scandals", History Today , February 2011, Vol. 61 Issue 2, pages 10–17
    • Evasive, womanising, boastful, malicious, untrustworthy, an inveterate gambler who combined his mediocre military career with running a high-class brothel, permanently cash strapped and viciously quarrelsome, his character is as dubious as his unsavoury appearance.
  • In disbelief; wavering, uncertain, or hesitating in opinion; inclined to doubt; undecided.
    • She was dubious about my plan at first, but later I managed to persuade her to cooperate.
  • * 2010 , John M. Broder, "Global Climate-Change Talks Begin in Cancun With More Modest Expectations", New York Times , November 30, Section A, Column 0, Foreign Desk, page 12
    • Last year, President Obama had large majorities in Congress and hopes of passing a comprehensive climate and energy bill. Next year, he faces a new Congress much more dubious about the reality of climate change and considerably more hostile to international efforts to deal with it.

    Derived terms

    * dubious honor / dubious honour * dubiously * dubiousness

    See also

    *

    doubtfully

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In a doubtful manner, in context of doubt or ambiguity, questionably.
  • * 1920 , (Herman Cyril McNeile), Bulldog Drummond Chapter 1
    • He looked at the mauve envelope doubtfully , and examined the postmark. "Where is Pudlington, James? and one might almost ask—why is Pudlington? No town has any right to such an offensive name."