Looking for synonyms for shady? We’ve got you covered!
Here’s a list of other ways to say shady.
- Unscrupulous
- Suspicious
- Dubious
- Dishonest
- Deceptive
- Underhanded
- Disreputable
- Crooked
- Untrustworthy
- Deceitful
- Corrupt
- Sneaky
- Shifty
- Questionable
- Fraudulent
- Illicit
- Sly
- Shadowy
- Fishy
- Sketchy
Want to learn how to say shady professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.
1. Unscrupulous
Appropriate use: Lacking moral principles; not honest or fair.
Example: “The unscrupulous tactics used by the competitor raised ethical concerns.”
2. Suspicious
Appropriate use: Causing one to have the idea or impression that something or someone is of questionable, dishonest, or dangerous character or condition.
Example: “There were suspicious discrepancies in the financial report that prompted an audit.”
3. Dubious
Appropriate use: Hesitating or doubting; not to be relied upon.
Example: “The partnership with the dubious vendor was reevaluated due to compliance issues.”
4. Dishonest
Appropriate use: Behaving or prone to behave in an untrustworthy or fraudulent way.
Example: “The dishonest employee was found to be leaking confidential information.”
5. Deceptive
Appropriate use: Giving an appearance or impression different from the true one; misleading.
Example: “The marketing claims made by the company were found to be deceptive and misleading.”
6. Underhanded
Appropriate use: Acting or done in a secret or dishonest way.
Example: “The manager’s underhanded dealings undermined the team’s trust.”
7. Disreputable
Appropriate use: Not considered to be respectable in character or appearance.
Example: “They ended their association with the disreputable supplier due to ethical concerns.”
8. Crooked
Appropriate use: Dishonest or illegal.
Example: “The investigation revealed the crooked practices behind the business’s success.”
9. Untrustworthy
Appropriate use: Not able to be relied on as honest or truthful.
Example: “The untrustworthy consultant was found to have falsified the data.”
10. Deceitful
Appropriate use: Guilty of or involving deceit; deceiving or misleading others.
Example: “The deceitful tactics used to secure contracts led to legal challenges.”
11. Corrupt
Appropriate use: Having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.
Example: “The corrupt official was implicated in a bribery scandal.”
12. Sneaky
Appropriate use: Doing things in a secret and dishonest way.
Example: “The employee’s sneaky behavior was noticed when confidential files went missing.”
13. Shifty
Appropriate use: Appearing deceitful or evasive.
Example: “His shifty response raised doubts about the accuracy of his report.”
14. Questionable
Appropriate use: Doubtful as regards truth or quality.
Example: “The firm’s questionable accounting practices led to a thorough investigation.”
15. Fraudulent
Appropriate use: Obtained, done by, or involving deception, especially criminal deception.
Example: “The fraudulent activities of the company were eventually exposed by a whistleblower.”
16. Illicit
Appropriate use: Forbidden by law, rules, or custom.
Example: “They were accused of engaging in illicit trade practices.”
17. Sly
Appropriate use: Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.
Example: “The sly negotiation tactics used by the firm were later criticized.”
18. Shadowy
Appropriate use: Of uncertain identity or nature.
Example: “The deal involved some shadowy figures with unclear motives.”
19. Fishy
Appropriate use: Arousing feelings of doubt or suspicion.
Example: “The sudden change in the contract terms seemed fishy to the legal team.”
20. Sketchy
Appropriate use: Not thorough or detailed; suspicious.
Example: “The details of the proposal were sketchy and lacked essential information.”
