What does doubting mean?
"Doubting" is the present participle of the verb "doubt," meaning to feel uncertain about the truth, validity, or reliability of something, or to withhold belief pending proof. It functions primarily as a verb form — as in "she kept doubting her own judgment" — but also serves adjectivally to describe a skeptical attitude, as in "a doubting glance," and nominally as a gerund denoting the act of uncertainty itself. The word carries no strong register restrictions, appearing comfortably in both everyday conversation and formal writing, though it often connotes introspection or hesitation rather than outright denial. It is central to one of English's best-known idioms: a "doubting Thomas" is someone who refuses to believe without direct evidence, a phrase rooted in the biblical story of the apostle Thomas. Related words such as "dubious" and "indubitable" share the same Latin ancestry. In intellectual and spiritual contexts, doubting is frequently framed not as mere weakness but as a disciplined step toward genuine understanding.
Feeling uncertainty about the truth, reliability, or likelihood of something; withholding belief or trust.
"He sat by the phone, doubting that anyone would call."
Typically followed by a that-clause, a noun phrase, or a reflexive pronoun.
Expressing or marked by skepticism or uncertainty.
"She gave him a doubting look before agreeing to the plan."
The act or state of doubting; uncertainty or hesitation.
"Honest doubting is often the first step toward real understanding."
A 'doubting Thomas' has been the go-to name for skeptics for nearly two thousand years — ever since the apostle Thomas refused to believe in the resurrection until he could touch Christ's wounds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of doubting
"Doubting" derives from "doubt," which entered Middle English from Old French "douter," itself stemming from the Latin "dubitare," meaning "to waver or hesitate in opinion." The same Latin root gives English "dubious," "dubitable," "indubitable," and "redoubtable." The verb has been part of English since the medieval period, with its participial form following regular patterns of English inflection.
How doubting is actually used
As the progressive form of 'doubt,' it appears most often with a clause ('doubting that...') or reflexively ('doubting herself'). The adjectival use is common in literary and formal registers. The fixed phrase 'doubting Thomas' (lowercase 't' when used generically) is well established across British and American English.
Easily confused with doubting
'Double' means twice as much or having two parts, while 'doubting' means being uncertain or skeptical — they differ by only one letter but are entirely unrelated in meaning.