suspicious
/səs'piʃəs/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Causing or feeling doubt or distrust: Describes something that seems likely to be wrong, dangerous, or dishonest, or a feeling of not trusting someone or something.
- Having or showing a cautious distrust of someone or something: Describes a person's character or attitude as being inclined to doubt or question the honesty or truth of others.
Examples of Usage
- As an adjective describing a thing or situation:
- The police found a suspicious package near the station.
- There were suspicious circumstances surrounding his sudden resignation.
- As an adjective describing a person's feeling or character:
- She became suspicious of his constant excuses.
- He gave me a suspicious look when I mentioned the missing money.
Advanced Usage
- "to be/become suspicious of/about someone/something": To start to doubt or distrust.
- Investors are growing suspicious about the company's financial reports.
- "to arouse/cause/excite suspicion": To make people feel doubtful or distrustful. (Note: This uses the noun form 'suspicion', which is directly related to the adjective 'suspicious'.)
- His nervous behavior aroused suspicion.
Variants and Related Words
- Suspicion (n): A feeling or thought that something is possible, likely, or true, especially something bad; a feeling of doubt or distrust.
- I have a suspicion that he is not telling the truth.
- Suspiciously (adv): In a way that suggests doubt or distrust.
- He acted suspiciously and avoided eye contact.
Synonyms
- Doubtful: Feeling uncertain about something.
- Dubious: Hesitating or doubting; not to be relied upon.
- Questionable: Doubtful as to truth or quality.
- Distrustful: Feeling that someone or something cannot be trusted.
- Wary: Feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems.
Related Phrases
- Under suspicion: Being thought possibly guilty of something.
- He was under suspicion for the theft.
- Above suspicion: So honest or good that no one would think you could do something wrong.
- As a judge, she must be above suspicion.
Idioms Related to Suspicion
- Arouse/raise eyebrows: To cause surprise or mild disapproval, often leading to suspicion.
- His extravagant spending raised eyebrows among his colleagues.
- Smell a rat: To suspect that something is wrong.
- When he offered the deal at half price, I began to smell a rat.
Adjective
-
not as expected
-
there was something fishy about the accident
-
up to some funny business
-
some definitely queer goings-on
-
a shady deal
-
her motives were suspect
-
suspicious behavior
-
-
openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ tương tự
Từ chứa "suspicious"
Từ có nhắc đến "suspicious"
