1
Weaken a claim
Reduce confidence without fully disproving.
Example
The inconsistent dates cast doubt on the account.
cast doubt on
/ˌkɑːst ˈdaʊt ɒn/ · KAHST DOWT onevaluation phrase
Make a claim, explanation, or source seem uncertain or less credible.
Use cast doubt on to signal this exact relationship between ideas: make a claim, explanation, or source seem uncertain or less credible.
What cast doubt on Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Question an explanation
Make a proposed cause seem less likely.
Example
The new data cast doubt on the drought hypothesis.
3
Damage credibility
Create suspicion about a source or process.
Example
Undisclosed funding cast doubt on the review’s independence.
Use cast doubt on Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The inconsistent dates cast doubt on the account.
The new data cast doubt on the drought hypothesis.
Undisclosed funding cast doubt on the review’s independence.
Precision Matters
Cast doubt on overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
cast doubt on
vs.Signals make a claim, explanation, or source seem uncertain or less credible.
call into question
Means raise doubts about the truth, reliability, or validity of something.
cast doubt on
vs.Signals make a claim, explanation, or source seem uncertain or less credible.
corroborate
Means confirm or support a statement with additional evidence.
cast doubt on
vs.Signals make a claim, explanation, or source seem uncertain or less credible.
refute
Means to prove that a claim is false.
cast doubt on
vs.Signals make a claim, explanation, or source seem uncertain or less credible.
dubious
Means doubtful, questionable, or unlikely to be reliable.
Test cast doubt on in Context
The records make the causal theory substantially less credible.
1
The newly recovered rainfall records ___ the theory that drought caused the migration, since they show unusually wet conditions.