Fishy

usgb/ˈfɪʃi/
adjective

Something seems suspicious or doubtful. It gives the feeling something is wrong, usually dishonest or illegal.

Alice didn't trust the offer, it seemed too good to be true, somewhat fishy.
Visual representation of "fishy" - Something seems suspicious or doubtful. It gives the feeling something is wrong, usually dishonest or illegal.

Often appears as...

  • something smells fishy
  • something sounds fishy

Usage tips

Disapproving

Informal

Definition 1 of 2
Visual representation of "fishy"
LampPro Tip 1/3

Trust Your Gut

Use 'fishy' when you have an intuition that something isn't right, often without clear evidence.

Illustration for Trust Your Gut
He offered to fix my car for free, which felt fishy.
LampPro Tip 2/3

Informal Suspicion

'Fishy' is often used in casual conversation rather than formal situations.

Illustration for Informal Suspicion
When she paid in all cash, the deal started to seem fishy.
LampPro Tip 3/3

Detective Work

Think of 'fishy' to describe scenarios like those in mystery novels, where motives are questionable.

Illustration for Detective Work
The alibi he gave the police was fishy.
Visual representation of the word "Fishy"

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