Dictionary

questionable en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈkwɛst͡ʃənəbl̩/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English question Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Italic *-ðlom Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English questionable From question + -able.

Meanings

1. Problematic; open to doubt or challenge.
   • MAHA went viral across social media and led to an explosion of questionable claims regarding health and wellness. 2024 August 26, Mikael Thalen, “MAGA turns to roadkill-eating anti-vaxer with a brain worm to ‘Make America Healthy Again’”, in The Daily Dot:
   • A crude, cold rain was falling heavily; the spring-time presented itself as a questionable improvement. 1881, Henry James, Jr., chapter 3, in The Portrait of a Lady, New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC, page 28:
   • It is questionable if the universe is open or closed.
2. Of dubious respectability or morality.
   • Obviously modeled after Ren & Stimpy, it's about a wallaby and his flatulent dog. While some of the humor is pretty funny, some of it is questionable. 1995, Randy Pitman (publisher), “Some Extra Children's Videos”, in The Video Librarian, volumes 10-11, page 3:
   • […] he had a love of money—a sort of acquisitiveness, that led him into questionable dealings. 1920, Carolyn Wells, chapter 18, in Raspberry Jam, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, page 302:
3. (obsolete) Inviting questions; inviting inquiry.
   • Thou com'ſt in ſuch a queſtionable ſhape / That I will ſpeake to thee. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], page 257, column 1:

Forms

Deriveds

unquestionably · unquestionableness · unquestionable · questionably · questionableness · unquestionability · questionability

Descendants

fragwürdig

Translations (73)

fr discutable (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · sh ùpitan (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · it dubbio (of dubious respectability or morality) · sv disputabel (of dubious respectability or morality) · es sospechoso (of dubious respectability or morality) · mk спо́рен (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · fi kyseenalainen (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · pl wątpliwy (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · ru спо́рный (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · de fragwürdig (of dubious respectability or morality) · pt problemático (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · es dudoso (of dubious respectability or morality) · it discutibile (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · pt questionável (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · cs diskutabilní (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · da tvivlsom (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · cmn 可疑的 (of dubious respectability or morality) · de verwegen (of dubious respectability or morality) · nl twijfelachtig (of dubious respectability or morality) · sv dubiös (of dubious respectability or morality) · it problematico (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · bg съмнителен (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · pt questionável (of dubious respectability or morality) · pl sporny (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · de zwiespältig (of dubious respectability or morality) · ca sospitós (of dubious respectability or morality) · it opinabile (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · es cuestionable (of dubious respectability or morality) · sv tvivelaktig (of dubious respectability or morality) · pt contestável (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · pdt bedenkjlich (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · pt suspeito (of dubious respectability or morality) · sv tveksam (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · ca criticable (of dubious respectability or morality) · fa سؤالبرانگیز (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · hu kétséges (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · sv misstänkt (of dubious respectability or morality) · hu megkérdőjelezhető (of dubious respectability or morality) · ru сомни́тельный (of dubious respectability or morality) · mk сомни́телен (of dubious respectability or morality) · it questionabile (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · ka სადაო (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · bg спорен (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · pl kontrowersyjny (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · de gewagt (of dubious respectability or morality) · pt dúbio (of dubious respectability or morality) · ota شبههلو (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · pt duvidoso (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · az şübhəli (of dubious respectability or morality) · ro discutabil (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · ja 疑わしい (of dubious respectability or morality) · be спрэчны (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · sv diskutabel (of dubious respectability or morality) · pdt froaglich (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · sv suspekt (of dubious respectability or morality) · sh ùpitan (of dubious respectability or morality) · es controvertible (of dubious respectability or morality) · cmn 可疑的 (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · de fragwürdig (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · sv tvivelaktig (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · fi kyseenalainen (of dubious respectability or morality) · bg съмнителен (of dubious respectability or morality) · sv tveksam (of dubious respectability or morality) · it controverso (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · pl kontrowersyjny (of dubious respectability or morality) · ja 疑わしい (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · ca qüestionable (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · fr douteux (of dubious respectability or morality) · nl verdacht (of dubious respectability or morality) · sv diskuterbar (of dubious respectability or morality) · el αμφισβητήσιμος (problematic; open to doubt or challenge) · ka საეჭვო (of dubious respectability or morality) · nl twijfelachtig (problematic; open to doubt or challenge)