Meanings
comparative more doubtfully · superlative most doubtfully
- In a doubtful manner, in context of doubt or ambiguity, questionably.
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."
1920, Herman Cyril McNeile, chapter 1, in Bulldog Drummond
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbin a doubtful manner
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishdowtfully
- Englishdoubtfully
From Middle English dowtfully, doutefulli, equivalent to doubtful + -ly.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἐνδοιαστῶς
- ἐνδοιαστῶς (endoiastôs)doubtful manner
Catalan dubtosament
- dubtosamentdoubtful manner
French douteusement
- douteusementdoubtful manner
Greek αβέβαια, αμφίβολα
- αβέβαια (avévaia)doubtful manner
- αμφίβολα (amfívola)doubtful manner
Portuguese dubitavelmente
- dubitavelmentedoubtful manner
Spanish dudosamente
- dudosamentedoubtful manner
Cite this entry
doubtfully. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/doubtfully
“doubtfully.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/doubtfully. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “doubtfully,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/doubtfully.
Source: doubtfully on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.