fishy

adjective

ˈfi-shē How to pronounce fishy (audio)
Definition of fishynext
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged something's fishy about the way he's acting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 fishy Clearly, something fishy’s going on. — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 24 June 2026 Something was a little fishy in Slippery Rock. — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 Yep, its flowers smell overwhelmingly fishy. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 16 June 2026 There’s no strange aftertaste, no fishy flavor, and no texture issues. — Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for fishy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fishy
  1. questionable
  2. dubious
  3. suspicious
  4. disputable
  5. problematic
  6. doubtful
  7. debatable
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
  • 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
  • The person asked for gas money and Bitcoin, requests the family found suspicious because Goods doesn't drive and didn't have a car in Las Vegas.
    — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The suspicious em dash—and the easily disprovable notion that only AI used them—was offered as a telltale sign.
    — M. C. Mah, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of suspicious
Adjective
  • However, disputable refereeing decisions, especially in the matches against Italy and Spain, led to allegations that South Korea may have benefited from favorable officiating.
    — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 June 2026
  • Speech — Intimidation as censorship The First Amendment protects disputable speech, not agreeable.
    — Brielle Miller, Baltimore Sun, 9 Mar. 2026
Definition of disputable
Adjective
  • So far, none of those efforts has been successful, and opponents say hunting would do little to address the most problematic bears that tend to live closer to residential neighborhoods.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Differences in ages between adults aren’t inherently problematic, but one’s experiences in life can change dramatically between 18 and 23.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of problematic
Adjective
  • For now, the yen's strength is still holding up, but analysts are doubtful it can be sustained.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • As for other returnees to Basic Instinct, Eszterhas was doubtful that Paul Verhoeven would return to direct, but expressed his hope that the filmmaker would come aboard.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 14 July 2026
Definition of doubtful
Adjective
  • The conclusion is often debatable, but not in respect to one major municipal project.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • There are debatable details about what makes a mouthwatering Philly cheesesteak.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of debatable

Browse Nearby Words

fishwifes
fishy
fissure
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fishy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fishy. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of fishy for Spanish Speakers

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