suspicious

adjective

sə-ˈspi-shəs How to pronounce suspicious (audio)
Definition of suspiciousnext
1
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged suspicious claims of being the rightful owner of the property

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in skeptical
inclined to doubt or question claims suspicious of any menu dish having a name she can't pronounce

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unsure
not feeling sure about the truth, wisdom, or trustworthiness of someone or something you should be very suspicious of those telephone calls from people telling you that you're the winner of a contest you never entered

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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 suspicious In the fifties and sixties, conservatives had tended to be suspicious of an imperial Presidency. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 Shortly before Salinger matriculated, a cadet fell to his death from an academy window under suspicious circumstances. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026 According to Lu, Bo became increasingly suspicious that Wang, the project manager, had stolen from him by inflating construction costs. — Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 Commenters on Reddit call out suspicious activity on social media accounts that use the same email address as their Steam account. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for suspicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspicious
  1. questionable
  2. skeptical
  3. unsure
  4. dubious
  5. cautious
  6. uncertain
  7. disputable
  8. careful
Adjective
  • His shows were cancelled for what writers for Ynet and Haaretz considered questionable reasons, among them alleged pressure from Netanyahu’s allies, although the networks involved named other justifications, including financial ones.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Those who witness dangerous or questionable behavior on the water are told to call the NOAA Fisheries’ Enforcement Hotline at 800-853-1964.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of questionable
Adjective
  • Many critics remain skeptical that this artist’s debut, or any artist’s debut, deserved to be in the Louvre.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Brett Siegel, an NBA reporter with Clutch Points, is skeptical.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of skeptical
Adjective
  • Given his long absence from public view, analysts are unsure whether Khamanei is indeed the architect of the new set-up.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Pundits are unsure whether Minnesota will yield a similar result.
    — Jay Stahl, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsure
Adjective
  • This time, that main doubter is Alice Chilton (Tanya Reynolds), the Lady Greyhounds’ first assistant coach, who begins the season dubious of everything going on around her before predictably being won over by Ted.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket have long garnered a reputation for allowing users to make all kinds of ethically dubious bets, from the outcomes of deadly conflicts to raging wildfires.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of dubious
Adjective
  • As the use of AI increases, financial experts say consumers should be cautious about fully trusting these tools.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The Fed may be more cautious about raising interest rates at a time when the labor market appears less stable.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • Horse racing's Triple Crown faces an uncertain future as leading institutions pursue divergent strategies.
    — Nicole Kraft, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The economy feels so perpetually uncertain, fragile and contradictory that shifts in any direction feel really consequential.
    — Rachel Siegel, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncertain
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
  • South Korea’s finance minister has apologized for launching the riskier products without careful consideration.
    — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Regulators have been careful to note that the action targets concentrated and synthetic products, not natural leaf containing trace amounts.
    — Jesse M. Pines, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of careful

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suspicions
suspicious
suspiciously
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Cite this Entry

“Suspicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspicious. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on suspicious

Nglish: Translation of suspicious for Spanish Speakers

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