suspicious

To be suspicious is to have a suspicion about someone or something, especially to have a feeling of distrust about the person or thing. To be suspicious of someone most often involves suspecting that they are engaged in some wrongdoing, as in My parents became suspicious of me when I kept asking whether they’d be home tomorrow.

The word is commonly used to describe a person who is suspicious of someone or something in a specific situation. Sometimes, though, it’s used to describe a person who’s suspicious in general—meaning that they’re generally skeptical or distrustful. It can also be used to describe something, such as an action, that indicates that a person is suspicious, as in She gave me a suspicious look that meant she knew I was up to something.

Suspicious can also be used to describe someone or something that causes suspicion, as in The guards are trained to identify suspicious people, suspicious behavior, and suspicious packages.

Being suspicious is usually based on something, such as a hunch or some kind of evidence, but the word is typically used in situations in which there is some doubt—when someone suspects something, but isn’t sure. The same thing is implied by the verb suspect and the noun suspicion.

Suspicious is most commonly used in negative contexts, but this isn’t always the case. For example, you might be suspicious that someone is planning a surprise party for you.

Example: Police are encouraging citizens to alert the authorities if they see any suspicious activity on the subway.

The first records of the word suspicious come from the 1300s. It comes from the Latin Latin suspīciōsus, from the verb suspicere, “to mistrust.”

The word suspect is based on the same root as suspicious (ultimately coming from the Latin specere, meaning “to observe,” or “to keep an eye on”) and is often used in many of the same contexts. To be suspicious about something is to suspect something about it. Suspect can even be used as an adjective to mean about the same thing as suspicious, as in It seemed a bit suspect at the time.

What are some other forms related to suspicious?

• suspiciously (adverb)
• suspiciousness (noun)
• suspicion (noun)

What are some synonyms for suspicious?

• questionable
• fishy
• distrustful
• mistrustful
• doubtful
• wary

What are some words that share a root or word element with suspicious? 

• above suspicion
• suspect
• soupcon

What are some words that often get used in discussing suspicious?

• become
• activity
• behavior
• overly
• person
• package

Suspicious is usually (though not always) used in negative contexts, especially ones involving someone doing something wrong. It always implies some level of uncertainty about what is happening.

It just occurred to me that I've been in toxic relationships that have caused me to run from genuine sweet guys in my life. It's not that I don't like nice guys. They just scare me. I get overly suspicious because their behavior is so different.

— sєяєηıтy⚘ (@cappuccinoxuxi) January 22, 2021

Our Hometown Security tools & resources give you the ability to keep your community safe. You serve as the first line of defense in keeping the public safe and secure.

Learn how to identify and when to report suspicious activity: https://t.co/nYKHHmBcea #Security

— Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (@CISAgov) January 20, 2021

#AprilFools may be almost over, but still don't click strange links or anything that seems suspicious!

— Chilly (@Chilly573) April 2, 2015

Which of the following words can be a synonym of suspicious? 

A. distrustful
B. doubtful
C. wary
D. all of the above