Word
dodgy
UK/dˈɒdʒi/
Definition
adj. Something that seems dishonest, unreliable, or of poor quality. You can use it to describe a person you don't trust, a product that might break, or a situation that feels a little unsafe.
adj. Dishonest, unreliable, or of poor quality; potentially illegal or dangerous. An informal adjective, particularly common in British English.
Examples
“This old phone has a dodgy battery.”
“He got the tickets from a dodgy website, so he's worried they aren't real.”
“While his official business was legitimate, the source of his initial funding remained a dodgy, unspoken subject among his partners.”
Examples
simple
“This old phone has a dodgy battery.”
contextual
“He got the tickets from a dodgy website, so he's worried they aren't real.”
complex
“While his official business was legitimate, the source of his initial funding remained a dodgy, unspoken subject among his partners.”
Etymology
From dodge (verb) + -y. First used in mid-19th century England.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/dodgy