fishy

adjective

ˈfi-shē 

fishier; fishiest

1

: of or resembling fish especially in taste or odor

2

: creating doubt or suspicion : questionable

Synonyms

• debatable
• disputable
• dodgy [chiefly British]
• doubtable
• doubtful
• dubious
• dubitable
• equivocal
• problematic
• problematical
• queer
• questionable
• shady
• shaky
• suspect
• suspicious

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

Ordered crisp, the funky, sticky, lightly fishy sauce is bangin’ with that generous scatter of crisp garlic on top. —Amy Drew Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2024

The water has an odor that smells fishy or like gasoline. —Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 9 July 2024

On Monday, a coordinated enforcement effort stopped hundreds of cars with fishy plates, leading to hundreds of tickets, the impoundment of dozens of vehicles and even some arrests of drivers. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2024

The lemon flavor masks any fishy taste, and the supplement can be given to children ages 1 year old and older. —Tamar Kane, Ms, Rd, Verywell Health, 6 June 2024

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