fishy

adjective

ˈfi-shē 

fishier; fishiest

1

: of or resembling fish especially in taste or odor

2

: creating doubt or suspicion : questionable

Synonyms of fishy

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

Examples of fishy in a Sentence

There's something fishy about that guy.

something's fishy about the way he's acting

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s no strange aftertaste, no fishy flavor, and no texture issues. —Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 15 June 2026

Avoid any scallops that smell fishy, sour, or sulfur-like—fresh scallops should have a briny or mildly sweet seaweed aroma, Comeau says. —Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 June 2026

Check for a Fresh, Mild Scent Fresh, high-quality fish shouldn’t smell overly fishy. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 5 June 2026

There’s something fishy going on when an undercard fight and a line starts moving. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 22 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

fishy

adjective

ˈfish-ē 

fishier; fishiest

1

: of, relating to, or resembling fish

a fishy odor

2

: arousing doubt or suspicion : questionable

the story sounds fishy to me