zweifelhaft
doubtful
Something that is uncertain or questionable and raises doubts about its correctness, quality, or authenticity.
EXAMPLE
Der Erfolg dieser Methode ist mehr als zweifelhaft.
The success of this method is more than doubtful.
zweifelhaft
doubtful / dubious
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Meanings
zweifelhaft
dubious
Describes a person or thing that seems untrustworthy or morally questionable; disreputable.
EXAMPLE
Er hat einen zweifelhaften Ruf und verkehrt mit seltsamen Leuten.
He has a dubious reputation and associates with strange people.
Usage tips
Word structure
The adjective 'zweifelhaft' (doubtful/dubious) is derived from the noun 'der Zweifel' (doubt). The ending '-haft' means something like 'full of' or 'characterized by'. Something that is zweifelhaft is therefore 'full of doubt'.
EXAMPLE
Seine Erklärung klang für mich sehr zweifelhaft.
His explanation sounded very doubtful to me.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'unsicher' (uncertain) or 'fraglich' (questionable), 'zweifelhaft' (doubtful) is often used with abstract nouns. Typical combinations are 'ein zweifelhaftes Ergebnis' (a doubtful result), 'eine zweifelhafte Methode' (a dubious/doubtful method), or 'ein zweifelhafter Ruhm' (dubious fame).
EXAMPLE
Ob das wirklich eine gute Idee ist, bleibt zweifelhaft.
Whether that is really a good idea remains doubtful.
Typical collocations
When a person or their behavior is described as morally questionable, typical combinations are 'ein zweifelhafter Charakter' (a dubious character), 'zweifelhafte Geschäfte' (dubious business dealings), or 'eine zweifelhafte Gestalt' (a shady figure).
EXAMPLE
Die Polizei beobachtet den Mann wegen seiner zweifelhaften Kontakte.
The police are watching the man because of his dubious contacts.
Compare with
zweifelhaft vs unsicher
uncertain / insecure
When used about a statement or figure, unsicher neutrally indicates that it has not yet been reliably confirmed. Zweifelhaft goes further and casts doubt on its correctness or quality. If only confirmation is missing, unsicher is appropriate; if there is evidence against the statement or figure, zweifelhaft is more appropriate.
zweifelhaft
Der gemeldete Messwert ist zweifelhaft, weil mehrere Kontrollen andere Werte zeigen.
The reported measurement is doubtful because several checks show different values.
unsicher
Der gemeldete Messwert ist noch unsicher, weil die abschließende Kontrolle fehlt.
The reported measurement is still uncertain because the final check has not been completed.
In real life
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