Doubt - Oxford Learner's Dictionaries

Oxford logo Toggle navigation Redeem Upgrade Help Sign in

• Dictionaries
  • Dictionaries home
  • English
  • American English
  • Academic
  • Collocations
  • German-English
• Grammar
  • Grammar home
  • Practical English Usage
  • Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists
  • Word Lists home
  • My Word Lists
  • Topics
  • Recent additions
• Resources
  • Resources home
  • Text Checker

Sign in Dictionaries

• Dictionaries home
• English
• American English
• Academic
• Collocations
• German-English

Grammar

• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)

Word Lists

• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Topics
• Recent additions

Resources

• Resources home
• Text Checker

Redeem Upgrade Help TOP English English American English Academic English Collocations Practical English Usage German-English English-German English American English Enter search text

Definition of doubt noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

doubt noun   /daʊt/  /daʊt/[uncountable, countable]Idioms jump to other results

1. a feeling of being uncertain about something or not believing something
   • a feeling of doubt and uncertainty
   • New evidence has cast doubt on the guilt of the man jailed for the crime.
   • He was starting to have some serious doubts.
   • to have lingering/grave/nagging doubts
   • doubt about something The article raised doubts about how effective the new drug really was.
   • There is some doubt about the best way to do it.
   • doubt (that)… There is no doubt at all that we did the right thing.
   • There's little doubt in my mind that he's going to go right to the top.
   • doubt as to something She leaves no doubt as to her own view of Picasso's work.
   • doubt as to who, what, etc… If you are in any doubt as to whether you should be doing these exercises, consult your doctor.
   • doubt over something Medical experts have expressed doubt over how the scientist died.
   • She knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was lying to her.
   see also self-doubtLanguage Bank impersonalimpersonalGiving opinions using impersonal language
   • • It is vital that more is done to prevent the illegal trade in wild animals.
     • (Compare: We have to do more to stop people trading wild animals illegally.)
   • • It is clear that more needs to be done to protect biodiversity.
     • (Compare: We clearly need to do more to protect biodiversity.)
   • • It is unfortunate that the practice of keeping monkeys as pets still continues.
     • (Compare: It’s absolutely terrible that people still keep monkeys as pets.)
   • • It is difficult for many people to understand the reasons why certain individuals choose to hunt animals for sport.
     • (Compare: I can’t understand why anyone would want to kill animals for fun.)
   • • Unfortunately, it would seem that not enough is being done to support tiger conservation.
     • (Compare: Governments aren’t doing enough to help tiger conservation.)
   • • There is no doubt that the greatest threat to polar bears comes from global warming.
     • (Compare: I believe that the greatest threat…)
   More Like This Silent lettersSilent letters
   • gnarled
   • gnash
   • gnat
   • gnaw
   • gnome
   • haute cuisine
   • heir
   • herb
   • honour
   • hors d’oeuvre
   • hour
   • knack
   • knee
   • kneel
   • knife
   • knight
   • knit
   • knob
   • knock
   • knot
   • know
   • knuckle
   • psalm
   • psephology
   • psychic
   • ptarmigan
   • pterodactyl
   • psychology
   • wrangle
   • wrap
   • wreath
   • wreck
   • wrench
   • wrestle
   • wriggle
   • wring
   • write
   • wrong
   • bomb
   • climb
   • crumb
   • doubt
   • lamb
   • limb
   • ascent
   • fascinate
   • muscle
   • scene
   • scissors
   • height
   • right
   • sleigh
   • weight
   • align
   • campaign
   • design
   • foreign
   • malign
   • reign
   • unfeigned
   • balmy
   • calm
   • calf
   • half
   • yolk
   • autumn
   • column
   • condemn
   • damn
   • hymn
   • solemn
   • bristle
   • fasten
   • listen
   • mortgage
   • soften
   • thistle
   • wrestle
   • biscuit
   • build
   • circuit
   • disguise
   • guilty
   • league
   • rogue
   • vague
   • yacht
   • answer
   • sword
   • two
   Extra Examples
   • Whether he will continue to be successful in future is open to doubt.
   • Doubts have arisen over the viability of the schedule.
   • From the start, doubts surrounded her claim to be the missing heiress.
   • He made clear his own private doubts about it.
   • She still felt the same niggling doubt: was he really telling the truth?
   • I had been aware of a nagging doubt growing in my mind.
   • Some committee members still had doubts about the plans.
   • The announcement dispelled any doubts as to the prince's intentions.
   • There is little doubt the documents are fake.
   • There is no doubt in my mind that this man is Tom.
   • Some managers have expressed doubts about the wisdom of such a move.
   • We live in an age of doubt and uncertainty.
   Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyb1Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • considerable
   • grave
   • real
   • …
   verb + doubt
   • raise
   • entertain
   • feel
   • …
   doubt + verb
   • appear
   • arise
   • exist
   • …
   preposition
   • beyond doubt
   • beyond a doubt
   • beyond all doubt
   • …
   phrases
   • beyond a shadow of (a) doubt
   • without a shadow of (a) doubt
   • have your doubts about something
   • …
   See full entryWord OriginMiddle English: from Old French doute (noun), douter (verb), from Latin dubitare ‘hesitate’, from dubius ‘doubtful’.

   Want to learn more?

   Find out which words work together and produce more natural sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app.

   

Idioms be in doubt

1. to be uncertain
   • The success of the system is not in doubt.
   • The arrangements for the event still seemed to be in doubt.

beyond (any) doubt

1. in a way that shows that something is completely certain
   • The research showed beyond doubt that smoking contributes to heart disease.
   • (law) The prosecution was able to establish beyond reasonable doubt that the woman had been lying.
   • The evidence proves beyond doubt that he is innocent.
   Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc1

give somebody the benefit of the doubt

1. to accept that somebody has told the truth or behaved well because you cannot prove that they have not
   • She may have been lying, but I felt I had to give her the benefit of the doubt.

have your doubts (about something)

1. to have reasons why you are not certain about whether something is good or whether something good will happen
   • I've had my doubts about his work since he joined the firm.
   • It may be all right. Personally, I have my doubts.
   • They say they'll be here on time, but I have my doubts about that.

if in doubt

1. used to give advice to somebody who cannot decide what to do
   • If in doubt, wear black.
   • If in doubt, consult your doctor.
   Topics Suggestions and advicec2

no doubt

1.   used when you are saying that something is likely
   • No doubt she'll call us when she gets there.
   Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyb2
2.   used when you are saying that something is certainly true
   • He's made some great movies. There's no doubt about it.

put/throw something into doubt

1. to make something uncertain
   • The proposed development has been thrown into doubt by the decision.

without/beyond (a) doubt

1. used when you are giving your opinion and emphasizing the point that you are making
   • This meeting has been, without doubt, one of the most useful we have had so far.
   • Without the slightest doubt this is a remarkable exhibition.
   • She is without a doubt the best player I know.
   Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc1, Opinion and argumentc1

See doubt in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee doubt in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation: doubt

Other results

All matches

• doubt verb
• self-doubt noun
• without/beyond (a) doubt
• give somebody the benefit of the doubt

Idioms

• without/beyond (a) doubt
• give somebody the benefit of the doubt

Nearby words

• doubloon noun
• doubly adverb
• doubt noun
• doubt verb
• doubter noun

velodrome noun From the Topic Sports C1 Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day