← Back to Fala2Me

dubious aid

[ˈduːbiəs eɪd]
noun phrasepl: dubious aids
ajuda duvidosa
1. Help or assistance whose value, sincerity, or effectiveness is questionable or uncertain
The foreign government's dubious aid came with hidden political strings attached.
A ajuda duvidosa do governo estrangeiro veio com cordas políticas ocultas.
2. Support that may be counterproductive or harmful despite appearing to be helpful
His well-meaning but dubious aid actually made the situation worse.
Sua ajuda bem-intencionada mas duvidosa na verdade piorou a situação.
NYC Slang
sketchy help
Synonyms
questionable assistanceuncertain helpsuspicious supportambiguous aidequivocal assistance
Antonyms
reliable aidgenuine assistancetrustworthy supportlegitimate help

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
ajuda duvidosa
Standard usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
ajuda questionável
Alternative phrasing more commonly used in Rio
São Paulo
ajuda suspeita
Alternative emphasizing suspicion rather than doubt
Portugal
ajuda duvidosa
Direct equivalent used in European Portuguese

Related Idioms & Phrases

a double-edged sword
help with strings attached
more trouble than it's worth
the road to hell is paved with good intentions
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →