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Malicious vs Dubious - What's the difference?

malicious | dubious |

As adjectives the difference between malicious and dubious

is that malicious is of, pertaining to, or as a result of malice or spite while dubious is arousing doubt; questionable; open to suspicion.

malicious

English

Alternative forms

* (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of, pertaining to, or as a result of malice or spite
  • spiteful and deliberately harmful
  • He was sent off for a malicious tackle on Jones.

    Synonyms

    * malevolent * evil * See also

    Derived terms

    * maliciously * maliciousness * malicious mischief

    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

    *