dodgy

adjective

ˈdä-jē How to pronounce dodgy (audio)
Definition of dodgynext
chiefly British
1
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling getting the trade unions to go along with the agreement will be a rather dodgy piece of work

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means needed a dodgy barrister to get him acquitted of the charge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged the authenticity of the "lost" Shakespearean sonnet was more than a little dodgy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dodgy This allows for the eye to fully measure his exploitative changes of speed, and the dodgy shifts in direction that have made him the World Cup’s all-time leading goal scorer. — Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026 Looking closely at the photo of the letter in The Saturday Salon’s post reveals some dodgy details. — Jay Peters, The Verge, 11 July 2026 Cue a whole host of dodgy deals and shady string-pulling, not to mention an extramarital affair, as the entirely fictional — but no doubt true to life — character abandons any sense of morality. — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 2026 Millions of Americans with obesity are eager to get the drug, with options being limited so far to enrolling in a clinical trial or trying to obtain it by dodgy methods. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dodgy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dodgy
  1. difficult
  2. cunning
  3. questionable
  4. tough
  5. cute
  6. dubious
  7. sensitive
  8. slick
Adjective
  • The California Board of Pharmacy in 2025 reversed course on regulations that would have made the supplement more difficult to acquire after pushback from some firefighters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Striking out on her own was a difficult transition, but embracing her solitude gave her the space to learn more about herself and make her own personal decisions, such as getting her cat or making meals of her choosing.
    — Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of difficult
Adjective
  • Consider, for instance, the institution of oprichnina that Tsar Ivan IV established in 1565, through various cunning moves.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • With the correct number of dots, no arrangement, however cunning, can dodge these shapes forever.
    — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of cunning
Adjective
  • Stokes was off the injury report as of Monday, and Salaün was listed as questionable but looked to be a full participant in practice on Monday morning.
    — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Forcing fans to cover XX-XY shirts wasn't merely a questionable judgment call.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of questionable
Adjective
  • With men on first and third and nobody out that inning, second baseman Jackson Holliday fielded a tough grounder and threw to second, but shortstop Gunnar Henderson dropped the ball for an error and everyone was safe.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • As for footwear sales in the region, the second quarter saw a slowdown of sales of high-heat product, alongside tougher comparatives and ongoing softness in end-of-cycle footwear product lines.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • The reality is slightly less cute but certainly just as important.
    — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Lunchbox notes Top off your packed lunch with a cute and funny lunchbox note.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of cute
Adjective
  • SpaceX now has the dubious honor of being the first company to deface the moon, after a piece of one of its rockets crashed into Earth’s only natural satellite earlier this month.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026
  • HoverAir, an imprint of China's Zero Zero Robotics, has the dubious honor of being the first victim of the FCC's foreign drone ban.
    — Jim Fisher, PC Magazine, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dubious
Adjective
  • Batteries can store electricity, but extreme cold can threaten sensitive electronics and other critical hardware.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026
  • There are several hundred stars that closely orbit this giant black hole and are sensitive to its gravity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sensitive
Adjective
  • The menu looks slick and tactical, too, for a more unique aesthetic.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Chen popped in a 30-foot 3-pointer with a minute remaining to give the Valkyries a three-point lead, and then kept the advantage at three with a slick layup over a contest after Chicago scored.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of slick

Browse Nearby Words

dodging
dodgy
dodo
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Cite this Entry

“Dodgy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dodgy. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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