smell fishy

Idioms  

1. Be suspect or suspicious, as in His explanation definitely smells fishy; my guess is that he's lying. This idiom alludes to the fact that fresh fish have no odor but stale or rotten ones do. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Sure, there’s a spaghetti trope mishap and some of the red herrings smell fishy, but even these stumbles contain illuminating insight into Serwa’s character.

From New York Times

The artwork and products, which neither smell fishy nor look like the contents in your recycling bin, are important to the ocean conservation movement: They remove or deter trash from our waterways and raise awareness about the problem.

From Washington Post

If the C.E.O.’s intentions smell fishy, you also have every right to engage in a little self-preservation.

From New York Times

But to others, promises of a Brexit bonanza smell fishy.

From Seattle Times

It is complicated, though, because there are aspects of BDS that smell fishy.

From Salon