Suspicious means having a feeling that something is wrong, dishonest, or dangerous, even without proof. When you notice your little brother sneaking toward the cookie jar with chocolate smudges already on his face, you might feel suspicious that he's been eating cookies before dinner. When a teacher sees two students turning in identical essays with the same unusual mistakes, she becomes suspicious that they copied from each other.

Being suspicious means your instincts are telling you to pay closer attention because something doesn't add up. A detective investigating a crime looks for suspicious behavior: people acting nervous, stories that don't match, or evidence that seems out of place. Your parents might get suspicious if you're suddenly suspiciously eager to clean your room, wondering what you're really up to.

The word can also describe something that causes suspicion in others. A suspicious package at an airport gets examined carefully. A suspicious noise in the basement at night makes you pause and listen.

Having occasional suspicions is normal and can protect you from trouble, but someone who is suspicious of everything and everyone, trusting no one, usually ends up pretty miserable. The key is learning when your suspicions deserve attention and when they're just your imagination working overtime, and checking the facts when you can.