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

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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 That sensibility could be playful, irreverent and suspicious of authority. — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026 Shortly after leaving the residence, DeLong initiated a call about a suspicious person after locating a man near a vehicle matching the description provided by the woman, according to the police chief. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026 The documentary also details allegations that John-Paul was controlling and suspicious of Mica’s close friendships. — Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026 From a 10-mile corridor to one suspicious shaft The problem with relying on one monitoring method is that each technology sees only part of the picture. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 29 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
  • Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley) plays a government agent working in the Department of Alien Affairs, who gets caught up in a world of questionable ethics and violence.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • She was recently listed as questionable due to a back injury ahead of a game against the Toronto Tempo, but started both games against the expansion team last week.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of questionable
Adjective
  • And given their preference for rocky environments over sandy lagoons and the crabs’ reproductive prowess, fishermen and experts alike are skeptical.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The early sales reps who thrived on instinct and relationships start selling into a market that’s crowded, educated and skeptical.
    — Doug May, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of skeptical
Adjective
  • Margarita, who studied jewelry design, is unsure whether Princess Margaret would have been a fan of her jewelry preferences.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026
  • For the first ten minutes, the audience seems a little unsure where any of this is going — something Lyons is self-aware enough to address.
    — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsure
Adjective
  • But the unyielding scrutiny over dubious associations doesn’t cut both ways.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • When his distant goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) shows up with a dubious interest in researching the Dial, Indy is begrudgingly wrangled into One Last Ride.
    — Frank DeRuggiero, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of dubious
Adjective
  • Florida’s Republican gubernatorial ticket is defying historic trends for a political party traditionally known for elevating white men to leadership positions — even as the GOP remains cautious about drawing attention to the shift.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Bindi, a young female wallaby, is inquisitive and extremely curious, while Wally, a young male wallaby, is more cautious and likes to look at things from afar, Borozenets said.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • What remains uncertain is how damaging the resolution will be—and for whom.
    — MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
  • When markets are uncertain about how central bankers will respond to incoming data, speculation can fill the void, according to a Barclays report last month.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncertain
Adjective
  • But revenue coming in at double the projections is not disputable and cannot happen if the tax base runs away.
    — Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of disputable
Adjective
  • Getting to that point required careful control of stress during fabrication.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Huntsinger, playing along with Variety’s should-win/will-win Emmy prediction game, drew a careful line.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of careful

Browse Nearby Words

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 5 Sep. 2026.

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