Definition

1. Noun:
   • A feeling of doubt, distrust, or apprehension about the outcome or consequences of something: A "misgiving" is a feeling of unease, suspicion, or anxiety, often about whether something is right or will succeed.
   • A feeling of doubt about someone's honesty or character: It can specifically refer to a suspicion that someone may not be trustworthy.
   • A painful expectation or foreboding: It implies a sense of worry or fear about a future event.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • She had serious misgivings about accepting the job offer. (She felt deep doubts and anxiety about taking the job.)
  • I signed the contract with a sense of misgiving. (I signed it while feeling uneasy or apprehensive.)
  • His strange behavior filled me with misgiving. (His odd actions caused me to feel distrustful and worried.)

Advanced Usage

• "to have/entertain misgivings about something/someone": to feel doubts or concerns.
  • The committee began to have misgivings about the proposed plan. (The committee started to feel the plan might not be good.)
• "a nagging/sinking misgiving": a persistent or sudden strong feeling of doubt.
  • A nagging misgiving told her the deal was too good to be true. (A persistent feeling of doubt warned her.)
• "full of misgiving(s)": feeling very anxious or doubtful.
  • He looked at the dark clouds, his mind full of misgiving. (He was very worried as he looked at the clouds.)

Variants and Related Words

• Misgive (verb, archaic): To cause to feel doubt or apprehension. (Rarely used in modern English; the noun form is standard.)
  • The evidence did not misgive the jury. (The evidence did not make the jury doubtful.)
• Misgivings (plural noun): This is the most common form, as the feeling is often comprised of multiple doubts.
  • Her misgivings proved to be correct. (Her various doubts turned out to be right.)

Synonyms

• Qualm: A momentary feeling of uneasiness or doubt, often about the morality of an action.
• Apprehension: Anxiety or fear that something bad will happen.
• Suspicion: A feeling or thought that something is possible or likely, especially something wrong.
• Doubt: A feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.
• Trepidation: A feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen.

Antonyms

• Confidence: The feeling of certainty or trust in a person or thing.
• Certainty: Firm conviction that something is the case.
• Assurance: A positive declaration intended to give confidence.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "to do something with misgivings": to do something while feeling doubtful or uneasy.
  • They proceeded with the merger, but with great misgivings. (They went ahead with the merger, though they were very worried about it.)
• "a heart/mind full of misgiving": (idiomatic) to be filled with doubt and worry.
  • She faced the interview with a heart full of misgiving. (She was very anxious as she went into the interview.)

Noun

1. doubt about someone's honesty
2. painful expectation
3. uneasiness about the fitness of an action