Synonyms for

Fishy

Verb / ˈfɪʃi: / Another word for fishy — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

having an unpleasant smell or appearing suspicious or unlikely to be true

Synonyms & similar words

suspect shady suspicious funny suspicious questionable doubtful shady dodgy deceitful unreliable uncertain uncanny strange odd weird peculiar curious bizarre unusual off offbeat funny queer

Synonyms by register

Formal

dubious suspect questionable untrustworthy

Informal

shady sketchy off weird dodgy

Literary

enigmatic cryptic

Antonyms

honest straightforward genuine legitimate aboveboard trustworthy above suspicion

Common collocations

  • something fishy
  • smells fishy
  • sounds fishy
  • a fishy story
  • fishy business
  • fishy dealings
  • fishy character

Word family

adjective fishy
adverb fishily

Usage note

Primarily used informally to describe something that seems suspicious or not entirely honest. Avoid in formal contexts where 'dubious' or 'questionable' would be more appropriate.

Example sentences

  1. The story he told me sounded fishy.
  2. I thought something was fishy about the way he was acting.
  3. The smell in the room was a bit fishy.
  4. The deal he offered seemed a bit fishy to me.
  5. The fishy taste in my mouth made me feel sick.

Quotes

  • Something smells fishy about this.
  • I don't trust him, something seems fishy.
  • The whole situation seems fishy to me.

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