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# doubtfully

«doubtfully» in Mova's school dictionary: **not sure about something, or do not quite believe it** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adverb (doubtfully)

### meaning for a pupil

1) In a way that shows you are not sure about something, or do not quite believe it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/#m1)

2) In a way that is uncertain or unlikely. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

Alice often speaks or looks «doubtfully» in Wonderland, because so many strange things are said to her. Stories use it to show a character is unsure without saying «I don't believe you»: «"Are you sure?" she asked doubtfully.» Often with «say», «look», «ask», «shake your head».

### examples

- «Is this the right way?» asked Alice doubtfully. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/#x1)
- Mum looked doubtfully at the burnt toast. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/#x2)
- He doubtfully tasted the strange green soup. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/#x3)
- «I suppose it might work,» she said doubtfully. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/#x4)
- The Mole looked doubtfully at the wobbly boat. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/#x5)
- The dog sniffed the new food doubtfully. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/#x6)
- “There is a way,” said the servant doubtfully. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/#x7)

### note

From «doubt» + «-ful» + «-ly». The b in «doubt» is silent: «DOWT-ful-ee». Spelled with double l at the end.

### In the corpora

- [The Rat, «dubiously» (doubtfully): «Very good news indeed, if only—if only——».](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/46-willows-ch6-part2-not-sorry-and-locked-up/22/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «doubtfully» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/doubtfully/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.