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Nebulous vs Dubious - What's the difference?

nebulous | dubious |

As adjectives the difference between nebulous and dubious

is that nebulous is in the form of a cloud or haze; hazy while dubious is arousing doubt; questionable; open to suspicion.

nebulous

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • In the form of a cloud or haze; hazy.
  • Vague or ill-defined.
  • * 1915 , Arthur Conan Doyle, The Valley of Fear
  • The magistrate could not possibly, on the evidence, have held them for a higher court. On the one hand the compositors and pressmen were forced to admit that the light was uncertain, that they were themselves much perturbed, and that it was difficult for them to swear to the identity of the assailants; although they believed that the accused were among them. Cross examined by the clever attorney who had been engaged by McGinty, they were even more nebulous in their evidence.
  • Relating to a nebula or nebulae.
  • Anagrams

    *

    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

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