1 suspicious | Definition of suspicious

suspicious

adjective
sus·​pi·​cious | \ sÉ™-ˈspi-shÉ™s How to pronounce suspicious (audio) \

Definition of suspicious

1 : tending to arouse suspicion : questionable suspicious characters
2 : disposed to suspect : distrustful suspicious of strangers
3 : expressing or indicative of suspicion a suspicious glance

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Other Words from suspicious

suspiciously adverb
suspiciousness noun

Examples of suspicious in a Sentence

We were instructed to report any suspicious activity in the neighborhood. The suspicious vehicle was reported to police. Suspicious characters were seen hanging around the bank. He found a suspicious lump on his back and was afraid it might be cancer. Officials are suspicious about her death. His manner made me suspicious.
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Recent Examples on the Web

According to investigators, two deputies, who have not been publicly named, were called to the area after reports of a suspicious person. Tess Sheets, orlandosentinel.com, "Orange County sheriff’s deputy struck by car expected to recover, officials say," 29 Aug. 2019 After news of Walker’s murder is made public, the students at Liberty High become suspicious of one another, as there’s more than one person who wanted the controversial football player dead. Maria Pasquini, PEOPLE.com, "13 Reasons Why: Who Killed Bryce Walker?," 26 Aug. 2019 Yet Lee Krasner was suspicious of paintings where telltale marks were like alternative autographs — even when the autograph was her own husband’s. Jason Farago, New York Times, "Lee Krasner, Hiding in Plain Sight," 19 Aug. 2019 Public Intoxication, Possession of Dirk/Dagger: At 11 a.m. on July 21, deputies responded to a suspicious persons call in the area of Shadowhill Lane and S. Stelling Road. Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, "Cupertino crime report for the week of Aug. 23," 15 Aug. 2019 According to the statement of probable cause, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office received a call July 26 at about 1:38 p.m. for a suspicious person in a car with its door open behind a business in the 600 block of Deer Park Road. Mary Grace Keller, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Westminster man charged with intent to distribute, felony theft," 29 July 2019 Sheriff’s deputies spent about two hours searching the thick woods near Julian before a citizen called in a suspicious person hiding behind a church in the mountain community. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Man suspected of overnight thefts in Julian, Borrego Springs arrested," 5 July 2019 Eric Logan, a resident of South Bend, was killed on Sunday when police responded to a call about a suspicious person going through cars. Breanna Edwards, Essence, "Pete Buttigieg Cancels Presidential Campaign Events After Fatal Police Shooting In South Bend," 18 June 2019 Suu Kyi’s biographer Peter Popham, for example, wrote in 2016 that Suu Kyi feared that speaking up for the Rohingya would open her up to criticism from people who are still suspicious of her Burmese-ness given her long association with the West. Isabella Steger, Quartz, "Aung San Suu Kyi and Viktor Orban bonded over a mutual dislike of Muslims," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'suspicious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of suspicious

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for suspicious

suspicious

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of suspicious

: causing a feeling that something is wrong or that someone is behaving wrongly : causing suspicion
: having or showing a feeling that something is wrong or that someone is behaving wrongly : feeling or showing suspicion

suspicious

adjective
sus·​pi·​cious | \ sÉ™-ˈspi-shÉ™s How to pronounce suspicious (audio) \

Kids Definition of suspicious

1 : likely to arouse suspicion suspicious actions
2 : likely to distrust or be distrustful Trolls are … mighty suspicious about anything new to them.— J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit
3 : showing distrust a suspicious glance

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