fishy

[ fish-ee ]

adjective

, fish·i·er, fish·i·est.

1. like a fish in shape, smell, taste, or the like.
2. consisting of fish.
3. abounding in fish.
4. Informal. improbable, as a story; unlikely.
5. Informal. of questionable character; suspicious:

   The sudden knockout was fishy.

   Synonyms: dubious, suspect, strange, queer, peculiar

6. dull and expressionless:

   fishy eyes.

fishy

/ ˈfɪʃɪ /

adjective

1. of, involving, or suggestive of fish
2. abounding in fish
3. informal.
   suspicious, doubtful, or questionable

   their leaving at the same time looked fishy

4. dull and lifeless

   a fishy look

Derived Forms

• ˈfishily, adverb
• ˈfishiness, noun

Other Words From

• fishi·ly adverb
• fishi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fishy¹

First recorded in 1540–50; fish + -y ¹

Example Sentences

If the skeptics at Nissenbaum’s talk were right, we reasoned, AdSense should smell something fishy with AdNauseam clicks and toss them back overboard.

From MIT Technology Review

On the morning after Election Day, Greg and Jenny Brethen, loyal viewers of Fox News who watched the channel religiously for almost 20 years, turned on their go-to morning show, “Fox & Friends,” and thought they saw something fishy.

From Washington Post

Just because something isn’t found to be illegal doesn’t mean it’s not fishy.

From Washington Post

Mussels are briny yet sweet and mild, with no “fishy” notes.

From Washington Post

Protests that pass the test are promoted through the group’s social media network, while events that seem fishy will be reposted with “do not attend” stamped over the flier.

From Voice of San Diego

It was without doubt all very fishy, but Richard left no fingerprints.

From The Daily Beast

The Israeli explanation of the Eilat attack seemed fishy from the get-go.

From The Daily Beast

But there are several other elements in the alleged plot that smell fishy.

From The Daily Beast

Plus, as a politician he knows how fishy this heart mumbo jumbo looks.

From The Daily Beast

They were found in a motel room, along with a dead preacher, and there is something awfully fishy about the whole situation.

From The Daily Beast

The east pier, as far as it was dry, was covered by the fashion and beauty—as well as by the fishy and tarry—of the town.

From Project Gutenberg

I don't like the look of this Krell, and his story about all the officers being killed in the explosion sounds fishy to me.

From Project Gutenberg

There's something fishy about this thing somehow, something fishy that includes Maria Fulton and Morley.

From Project Gutenberg

The redness of his face gave signs that he was not far from choking, and out of his fishy eyes there rolled genuine tears.

From Project Gutenberg

It is not a village; it is not more fishy than other towns along the shore; and I have never pitied myself for belonging to it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dubious
• odd