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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Rushing to cut off the supply, US officials want Nvidia to voluntarily tighten its protocols and flag more suspicious shipments. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 2026 And although American vagrancy laws were deemed unconstitutionally vague and overturned in 1972, police maintained the authority to make arrests based on suspicious types of nonaction. — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Razo said the city became suspicious when someone forwarded a message in which academy officials directed parents to register their children under the league for the fall season after the registration deadline. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Of course Charles would be suspicious of this pretty, educated girl who shows up out of nowhere, refuses to share what brought her here, and has clearly ensnared Adam. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 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
  • That’s the only real update beyond what has already been announced, including cornerback Xavier Lucas still being out after initially being deemed questionable earlier in the week.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Rob Blanchard, spokesman for Lamont’s reelection campaign, countered Wednesday that Fazio recently proposed a questionable income tax-cutting plan that could weaken the state’s strong financial reputation.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of questionable
Adjective
  • The conservative-majority Supreme Court has been skeptical of environmental regulations in the past, including in a 2022 decision limiting the EPA's authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • And while The Atlantic has published largely skeptical coverage of major AI companies and their products’ impact on society, Thompson’s tone, in his podcasts and LinkedIn posts, has been more optimistic.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of skeptical
Adjective
  • Tony Hanna, a parent of a Black Bob Elementary School student, said during public comments Thursday night that parents were unsure whether the six schools were the right choice.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Patriot batteries are being deployed, but communities are still developing civil-defense plans, leaving some residents unsure where to take shelter.
    — Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsure
Adjective
  • Publicly available information from the Pike case, for instance, suggests that the drug may have been of dubious quality and extravasated during administration by Tennessee prison employees.
    — Dr. Jacob Appel, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The editorial praises the Shedd for trying to save the whales in this time of crisis, even though the animals had a record of previous poor living conditions and dubious care.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of dubious
Adjective
  • The actors Nael Nacer and Artemis Pebdani double as Haddad’s great-aunt and -uncle and parents, playing across a spectrum of discomfort and cautious support.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Feigenbaum offered a more cautious interpretation, describing some of the violent perpetrators as fringe provocateurs who exploit broader demonstrations without necessarily directing them.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • Exactly how far south the aurora might appear remains uncertain and depends on how the incoming CMEs interact with Earth's magnetic field.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • While companies often look to make supply-chain adjustments in the face of tariffs, that really hasn’t happened because the trade landscape is too uncertain to make long-term adjustments.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Oct. 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
  • Democratic congressional candidates will also need to be careful about balancing partisan messages to their base with more measured appeals to independent voters.
    — Julio Borquez, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • But perhaps the biggest challenge of all was being extremely careful not to pass moral judgment on the story or any of the characters being portrayed.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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