misgiving

noun

mis·​giv·​ing ˌmis-ˈgi-viŋ 

: a feeling of doubt or suspicion especially concerning a future event

Many people have expressed misgivings about his ability to do the job.

Synonyms

• distrust
• distrustfulness
• doubt
• dubiety
• dubitation [archaic]
• incertitude
• misdoubt
• mistrust
• mistrustfulness
• query
• reservation
• skepticism
• suspicion
• uncertainty

Examples of misgiving in a Sentence

I felt some misgiving about his ability to do the job.

They regarded the plan with misgiving.

Recent Examples on the Web

Surveying the misgivings of music-business predecessors, peers, and would-be proteges, Kendrick signs up for a season of being light on his feet and straight to the point. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2024

And even with her misgivings, Stewart said many women have already come up to her praising the retrospective on her life. —Doha Madani, NBC News, 30 Oct. 2024

And sometimes that means digging deep into my well of energy, getting up off the couch, putting down my phone, and throwing myself into play with no misgivings. —Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 31 Oct. 2024

Other prominent Democrats aired their misgivings anonymously in the press. —Philip Wegmann, Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

misgiving

noun

mis·​giv·​ing (ˈ)mis-ˈgiv-iŋ 

: a feeling of doubt or suspicion especially concerning a future event