dodgy

adjective

ˈdä-jē 

1

chiefly British : evasive, tricky

2

chiefly British

a

: not sound, good, or reliable

b

: questionable, suspicious

3

chiefly British : requiring skill or care in handling or coping with

dodginess

ˈdä-jē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of dodgy

• difficult
• tough
• sensitive
• problematic
• complicated

Examples of dodgy in a Sentence

The car's got a dodgy engine.

They got into a dodgy situation.

Recent Examples on the Web

And the New York Film Festival, which until recently had a dodgy track record with world premieres, could be rising. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026

Under investigation for alleged dodgy finances, Walter flipped the team to franchise seeking Iger and Kushner almost as fast as a Kobe lay-up. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026

Hobbs told me that his visitors are mainly interested in visiting Blackpool’s more sanitized offerings, but have a sense of curiosity about its dodgier elements. — George Francis Lee, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026

But while ripoffs and dodgy reboots are common in horror, some of the weirdest unauthorized sequels are the result of an obsessed fan self-financing a tribute to their favorite movie. — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dodgy

• stodgy
• demagogy
• teleology