English Reference
Adverb

suspiciously

adv. manner
B2 Upper Intermediate US /səˈspɪʃəsɫi/ UK /səspˈɪʃəsli/ sus·pi·cious·ly

adv.in a way that makes you feel like something is wrong or that someone is lying. You use this when someone's behavior or a situation seems strange and untrustworthy.

adv.in a manner that suggests guilt, dishonesty, or something wrong; alternatively, used to describe a state that arouses doubt or mistrust in others.


SIMPLE

The man was looking suspiciously at the locked door.

CONTEXTUAL

The car was parked suspiciously close to the bank entrance with the engine still running.

COMPLEX

Although the witness claimed to be at home during the incident, her suspiciously detailed account of the weather suggested she had rehearsed her alibi.

Usage

Typically follows the verb it modifies, though it can appear in the sentence-initial position to set a tone of doubt for the entire clause.

Only then did Parkinson notice a suspiciously clean, straight wound on the back of the caiman's head, possibly caused by a blow from a speeding boat, he suspects.

BBC News· 25 Aug 2026

Relatives also told Essex police that he was behaving suspiciously and they believed he was guilty.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026

From suspicious + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated