ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sus

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈsəs// sus Archaic Humorous Informal Slang

adj. describing someone or something that seems dishonest or strange. You use this when you think someone is lying or hiding a secret.

adj. describing a person or situation that appears suspicious or untrustworthy. A clipped form of 'suspicious' or 'suspect', it gained global popularity through online gaming and social media.


SIMPLE

That email looks a bit sus to me.

CONTEXTUAL

The group started to think he was sus when he couldn't explain where he had been all afternoon.

COMPLEX

While the deal seemed lucrative on the surface, the lack of a physical office and the insistence on cryptocurrency payments made the whole operation feel incredibly sus.

Origin

Borrowed from Persian سوس (sus), alternative form of شوش (šuš), from Middle Persian 𐭮𐭥𐭱𐭩 (sūš), from Old Persian 𐏂𐎢𐏁𐎠 (çūšā), from Elamite 𒀸𒋗𒊺𒂗 (šušen). Doublet of Susa and Shush.

Usage

Typically used as a predicative adjective after linking verbs like 'be', 'look', or 'seem'.

Pitfall

I have a sus about himI am sus of himIn modern slang, 'sus' is an adjective, not a noun; you cannot 'have a sus'.

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