suspicious

adjective

sus·​pi·​cious sə-ˈspi-shəs 

1

: tending to arouse suspicion : questionable

suspicious characters

2

: disposed to suspect : distrustful

suspicious of strangers

3

: expressing or indicative of suspicion

a suspicious glance

suspiciously adverb

suspiciousness noun

Synonyms of suspicious

• questionable
• dubious
• disputable
• suspect
• doubtful
• problematic
• debatable

Examples of suspicious in a Sentence

We were instructed to report any suspicious activity in the neighborhood.

The suspicious vehicle was reported to police.

Suspicious characters were seen hanging around the bank.

He found a suspicious lump on his back and was afraid it might be cancer.

Officials are suspicious about her death.

His manner made me suspicious.

Recent Examples on the Web

Several cables and pipelines were damaged in the Baltic Sea in late 2024 under suspicious circumstances. —MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Nov. 2025

Dallas Fire-Rescue and the Dallas Police Department responded to the ICE facility on North Stemmons Freeway in Dallas Friday morning on a report of a suspicious package. —Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025

Look at the number of downloads, read recent reviews and be suspicious of apps with few ratings or reviews that seem generic. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Nov. 2025

When an American soldier is found dead under suspicious circumstances outside the base, Goodman and Ellis are forced to work closely with the Icelandic police. —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for suspicious

• adventitious
• cementitious
• expeditious
• inauspicious
• injudicious
• meretricious
• repetitious
• superstitious
• surreptitious
• unambitious
• unpropitious
• unsuspicious

Kids Definition

suspicious

adjective

sus·​pi·​cious sə-ˈspish-əs 

1

: likely to arouse suspicion : questionable

suspicious behavior

2

: likely to suspect or distrust

suspicious of strangers

3

: showing suspicion

a suspicious glance

suspiciously adverb

suspiciousness noun