Sus

Definition:

Abbreviation for "suspicious" used seriously or ironically to describe anything or anyone that seems questionable, untrustworthy, or off-putting

Context:

While "sus" has roots in British police slang from the 1930s, its modern popularity exploded in 2020 with the viral success of the multiplayer game "Among Us," where players try to identify imposters among their crew by calling out "sus" behavior. The term has since transcended its gaming origins, becoming the #1 Gen-Z slang term used by teenagers in 2023 according to a survey of parents.

The term "sus" is used in a variety of situations, from questioning a friend's odd behavior ("you're acting kinda sus") to expressing skepticism about mundane situations ("that sandwich looks sus"), to simply pointing out mild awkwardness or something that seems slightly off. It's versatility in social media and memes (often featuring the Among Us astronaut characters) has led to it usually being used with varying degrees of irony and playfulness rather than genuine suspicion.

Example:

^{(all names & events in the
following scenario have been made
up)}

Toyah: “Hey, does anyone know who ate the rest of my birthday brownies?”

Khristi: “Not sure - but Kaleb's acting kinda sus... he just got very quiet...” 🤨

Kaleb: