questionable
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questionable
Describes something that raises doubts, mistrust, or concerns because it could be dishonest, illegal, immoral, or of poor quality.
Der Politiker trat wegen seiner fragwürdigen Geschäftsbeziehungen zurück.
The politician resigned because of his questionable business connections.
The word is made up of 'Frage' (question) and '-würdig' (-worthy). Something that is 'fragwürdig' (questionable) is therefore literally 'worthy of being called into question' because it raises doubts.
Seine Erklärung für die Verspätung klang ziemlich fragwürdig.
His explanation for the delay sounded pretty questionable.
The suffix '-würdig' means 'worth doing something to.' You also find it in other words, for example 'sehenswürdig' (worth seeing) or 'liebenswürdig' (lovable, literally worth being loved).
Die Methoden der Firma sind rechtlich fragwürdig.
The company's methods are legally questionable.
'Fragwürdig' (questionable) is often used to express mistrust toward moral, legal, or quality-related aspects. Common combinations are 'fragwürdige Methoden' (questionable methods), 'ein fragwürdiger Ruf' (a questionable reputation), or 'fragwürdige Qualität' (questionable quality).
Das Produkt hat eine fragwürdige Qualität und ging schnell kaputt.
The product is of questionable quality and broke quickly.
problematic
Problematisch and fragwürdig can both describe an ethically questionable decision. Problematisch points to general objections or possible consequences, while fragwürdig more directly calls the justification or defensibility into question. Fragwürdig is therefore the better fit for clear criticism of the decision, while problematisch suits a more comprehensive assessment.
Es ist fragwürdig, die Bewerbung wegen ihrer Herkunft abzulehnen.
It is questionable to reject the application because of her background.
Die problematische Entscheidung könnte später große soziale Folgen haben.
The problematic decision could have major social consequences later.
