QUESTIONABLE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does questionable mean? 

• QUESTIONABLE (adjective)
  The adjective QUESTIONABLE has 2 senses:

1. subject to question

2. able to be refuted

  Familiarity information: QUESTIONABLE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• QUESTIONABLE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Subject to question

Context example:

a fire of questionable origin

Similar:

alleged; so-called; supposed (doubtful or suspect)

apocryphal (being of questionable authenticity)

debatable; problematic; problematical (open to doubt or debate)

doubtful; dubious; dubitable; in question (open to doubt or suspicion)

equivocal (open to question)

fishy; funny; shady; suspect; suspicious (not as expected)

impugnable (subject to being discredited)

self-styled; soi-disant (as claimed by and for yourself often without justification)

Also:

contestable (capable of being contested)

Antonym:

unquestionable (incapable of being questioned)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Able to be refuted

Synonyms:

confutable; confutative; questionable; refutable

Similar:

deniable (capable of being denied or contradicted)

 Context examples 

"It seems a most questionable step," said Summerlee, argumentative to the last, "but if you are all going, I hardly see how I can remain behind."

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Presence of questionable mild cytologic atypia; indicates need for simultaneous analysis of age matched controls — preferably in a blinded fashion.

(Non-physiological Diffuse Hyperplasia of the Mouse Prostate Gland, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)

Small tissue projection existing as a cecal diverticulum with a questionable history of vestigial versus specialized organ.

(Appendix, NCI Thesaurus)

And yet there was but one woman to him, and that woman was the late Irene Adler, of dubious and questionable memory.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Many earlier attempts to estimate the number of species on Earth ignored microorganisms or were informed by older datasets based on biased techniques or questionable extrapolations.

(Researchers find that Earth may be home to 1 trillion species, NSF)

The effect of the whole was a manner so pitying and agitated, and words intermingled with her refusal so expressive of obligation and concern, that to a temper of vanity and hope like Crawford's, the truth, or at least the strength of her indifference, might well be questionable; and he was not so irrational as Fanny considered him, in the professions of persevering, assiduous, and not desponding attachment which closed the interview.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The appearance of the servants looking out for them to give notice of the carriages was a joyful sight; and even the bustle of collecting and preparing to depart, and the solicitude of Mrs. Elton to have her carriage first, were gladly endured, in the prospect of the quiet drive home which was to close the very questionable enjoyments of this day of pleasure.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

And here comes the country surgeon and Mrs. Rucastle, so I think, Watson, that we had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester, as it seems to me that our locus standi now is rather a questionable one.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Having described, in general terms, their course from the main river up to the time that they actually reached the base of the cliffs, he enthralled his hearers by his account of the difficulties encountered by the expedition in their repeated attempts to mount them, and finally described how they succeeded in their desperate endeavors, which cost the lives of their two devoted half-breed servants. (This amazing reading of the affair was the result of Summerlee's endeavors to avoid raising any questionable matter at the meeting.)

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)