Fishy
adjective
Definition
1. Seeming dishonest, suspicious, or not quite right.
2. Tasting or smelling of fish.
2. Tasting or smelling of fish.
Context Alive
Your friend tells you about an amazing investment opportunity—double your money in just two weeks, guaranteed! But the more he explains, the more something feels fishy about the whole thing. The promises are too good, the details are too vague, and you can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. You smile politely, but inside you’re thinking: no way am I putting my money into this.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 Seeming Suspicious or Dishonest (Adjective) — VERY COMMON Common ▼
This meaning is about something that doesn’t feel right or seems like a lie. Imagine your teenager says he was at his friend’s house all evening, but something seems fishy about his story—he won’t look you in the eye and keeps changing small details. This is something being fishy. You might say a deal sounds fishy when the price is too low, or someone could notice something fishy about a stranger’s behaviour. Or picture reading an email that promises free money but looks fishy because of spelling mistakes and weird links. The word suggests your gut is telling you not to trust it.
Vivid ExampleWhen the car salesman kept avoiding questions about the vehicle’s history, Maria knew something was fishy. She trusted her instincts, walked away, and later found out the car had been in a serious accident that he’d tried to hide from buyers.
2 Tasting or Smelling of Fish (Adjective) — COMMON Common ▼
This meaning is simply about something that smells or tastes like fish. Imagine opening your fridge and noticing a strong, fishy smell coming from somewhere at the back—probably those prawns you forgot about last week. This is something being fishy in the literal sense. You might complain that a restaurant has a fishy smell, or someone could say their hands still smell fishy after cooking salmon. Or picture tasting a sauce and noticing it has a slightly fishy flavour from the anchovies. The word simply describes that unmistakable fish smell or taste.
Vivid ExampleJake opened his lunchbox in the office and immediately regretted bringing leftover fish curry. The fishy smell spread through the room within seconds, and his colleagues started opening windows and making jokes about working in a seafood market.
Examples from the Street
“There’s something fishy going on here — I don’t trust it.”
There’s something suspicious happening here — I’m not confident about it
“That excuse sounds pretty fishy to me.”
That explanation sounds quite suspicious/unbelievable to me
“The whole deal seemed fishy from the start.”
The entire agreement appeared dodgy/suspicious from the beginning
Common Patterns
something fishy (is going on) → something suspicious is happening
sounds/seems/looks fishy → appears suspicious or doubtful
something fishy about [something/someone] → something suspicious regarding a thing or person
a bit/pretty/very fishy → somewhat/quite/very suspicious
smell fishy → seem suspicious (figurative, playing on the literal meaning)
the whole thing is fishy → the entire situation is suspicious
fishy business/dealings → suspicious, potentially dishonest activities
fishy excuse/story/explanation → an unbelievable or suspicious account
a fishy smell/odour → a smell resembling fish
taste fishy → have a fish-like flavour
Collocations
3 collocationssomething fishy
something suspicious or not right
sounds fishy
seems dishonest or doubtful
fishy business
activities that appear dishonest
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
I think there’s something fishy going on — why are they being so secretive?
I reckon something suspicious is happening — why are they hiding everything?
2
His explanation sounds fishy — I don’t believe a word of it
His account seems dodgy — I don’t trust anything he’s saying.
3
There’s something fishy about this job offer — the salary is way too high
There’s something suspicious about this employment opportunity — the pay is far too generous.
4
The whole thing seemed fishy from the moment he walked in
The entire situation appeared suspicious from the second he arrived.
5
That’s a bit fishy — why would she suddenly change her story?
That’s somewhat suspicious — why would she alter her version of events out of nowhere?
6
The contract smells fishy — I’d get a lawyer to look at it
The agreement seems dodgy — I’d have a legal professional examine it.
7
I don’t want to get involved in any fishy business
I don’t want to be part of any shady dealings.
8
She gave me some fishy excuse about her phone dying
She told me some unconvincing story about her mobile running out of battery.
9
It’s all very fishy if you ask me — someone’s not telling the truth
It’s all highly suspicious in my opinion — somebody is lying.
10
The kitchen has a fishy smell — did you cook seafood last night?
The cooking area has an odour like the sea — did you prepare shellfish yesterday evening?
Learner Examples
★
If an online course promises fluency in two weeks, it sounds fishy — learning a language takes much longer
If a web-based programme guarantees you’ll speak perfectly in a fortnight, it seems suspicious — acquiring a new tongue takes far more time.
★
When something seems fishy about a grammar rule, ask your teacher to explain it properly
When a language structure appears doubtful or doesn’t make sense, request your instructor to clarify it thoroughly.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
3 items Idioms & Expressionssomething smells fishy — something seems suspicious
Something smells fishy about that deal — be careful.
a big fish — an important or influential person
She's a big fish in the fashion industry.
fish out of water — person in uncomfortable unfamiliar situation
He felt like a fish out of water at the fancy party.
Synonyms & Antonyms
7 items
Synonymssuspicious
seeming dishonest
dodgy
informal — not trustworthy
shady
informal — questionable
questionable
raising doubts
Antonymslegitimate
completely proper and legal
trustworthy
deserving of trust
above board
honest and transparent