fishy

adjective

ˈfi-shē How to pronounce fishy (audio)
fishier; fishiest
Synonyms of fishynext
1
: of or resembling fish especially in taste or odor
2
: creating doubt or suspicion : questionable

Synonyms of fishy

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Examples of fishy in a Sentence

There's something fishy about that guy. something's fishy about the way he's acting
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In this storybook little village she is ostracized, acknowledged negatively by the town’s men for her fishy smell, insulted regularly when not being totally ignored. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026 But the Bigfoot legend never loomed in that way, at least not for me, because there was always something fishy about it. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026 Ohio State University Health & Discovery notes that a fishy odor after eating seafood is typically tied to trimethylaminuria, a metabolic disorder diagnosed with a urine test. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Spicy foods can intensify body odor through sulfur-containing compounds, and seafood can trigger a fishy smell in people with a specific metabolic disorder. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fishy

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fishy was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

fishworm
fishy
fishyback
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fishy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fishy. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fishy

adjective
ˈfish-ē How to pronounce fishy (audio)
fishier; fishiest
1
: of, relating to, or resembling fish
a fishy odor
2
: arousing doubt or suspicion : questionable
the story sounds fishy to me
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