Where it sits
Sus isn't an accusation, just a raised eyebrow. It means something doesn't add up yet.
Tell it apart
| Aspect | Sus | Suss |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | Adjective | Mostly verb |
| Means | Suspicious, shady | To figure out |
| Example | "That's sus" | "I've sussed it" |
Sus means suspicious. "Suss" (mainly British) is usually a verb: to suss something out is to work it out. Same root, different jobs.
What it doesn't mean
Dictionary.com dates it to 1935–40, and it was established in British slang and in hip-hop long before 2020. The game made it global.
What it really means
Sus is short for "suspicious", and it's a raised eyebrow in three letters. "He said he forgot his wallet again. Sus." It doesn't accuse; it notices that something doesn't add up.
Most people met the word through Among Us, the multiplayer game where players try to find the impostor in their crew. When the game became hugely popular in 2020, "sus" became its catchphrase. The first such meme is unknown, but one of the earliest Know Your Meme found is a tweet from 6 September 2020, and within weeks they were everywhere.
But the game didn't invent the word. Dictionary.com records "sus" as a shortening of "suspicious" from 1935–40. In Britain it has a long history as a noun for suspicion or a suspect, alongside the verb suss (to work something out). Wiktionary's earliest citation for the adjective is from a British writer in 1972, describing a "sus looking" character. In the US it was established in hip-hop, and Wiktionary labels the adjective as AAVE. Know Your Meme notes a 2012 TV sketch already explaining the term.
So the word was well established when Among Us made it global. It was short, it was already in use, and it named exactly what players were doing. Now it's settled into everyday use, for strange links, too-good deals and friends who are suddenly very nice to you.
Where it comes from
clipped from suspicious or suspect
Dictionary.com records it from 1935–40 as a shortening of "suspicious" and links it to British "suss". Wiktionary labels the modern slang adjective as AAVE and slang.
- 1935–40
First recorded as a shortening of "suspicious" (Dictionary.com).
- 1972
Wiktionary's earliest citation for the adjective, from a British writer: a "sus looking geezer".
- 2012
Explained on an episode of the TV sketch show Loiter Squad; already common in rap and hip-hop (Know Your Meme).
- August–September 2020
Among Us hits a second wave of popularity; Know Your Meme's earliest example of a "sus" meme is a tweet from 6 September 2020.
In real life
- Text: "he said he 'forgot' his wallet again. sus"
- Text: "this link looks kinda sus, don't click it"
- Text: "why are you being so nice to me, that's sus"
Questions
Q01What does sus mean in a text?
Suspicious or shady. "That's sus" means something seems off, too good to be true, or not quite honest.
Q02Did sus come from Among Us?
No, but Among Us made it famous. Dictionary.com dates sus to 1935–40, and it was common in British slang and hip-hop well before the game's 2020 boom, when players used it to accuse each other of being the impostor.
Q03Is sus British slang?
It has a long British history: Dictionary.com lists British "sus" for suspicion or a suspect, and the related verb "suss". It's also long-established in American hip-hop slang.