ENGLISH
REFERENCE

suspicious

adj.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //səˈspɪʃəs// UK //səspˈɪʃəs// sus·pi·cious

adj. feeling that someone has done something wrong or that a situation is not honest. You can also use it to describe something that looks strange or dangerous.

adj. having or showing a cautious distrust of someone or something; causing a feeling that something is wrong or illegal.


SIMPLE

The police are looking for a suspicious man in the area.

CONTEXTUAL

She became suspicious when the stranger asked for her bank details over the phone.

COMPLEX

The sudden disappearance of the documents under such suspicious circumstances prompted an immediate internal investigation by the board of directors.

Synonyms
Origin

From Old French sospecious, from Latin suspiciosus, suspitiosus.

Usage

Often takes the preposition 'of' when referring to the object of distrust.

Pitfall

I am suspicious about himI am suspicious of himWhile 'about' is sometimes heard in casual speech, 'of' is the standard preposition used with this adjective to indicate the person or thing being doubted.

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