adj
dodgy
DOJ-ee
adj
1
Dishonest or unreliable; not to be trusted.
"He bought a dodgy watch from a street vendor."
"That excuse sounds a bit dodgy to me."
2
Risky, uncertain, or in poor condition.
"The bridge looked dodgy, so we took the long way round."
How to Use Dodgy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSuspicious, unreliable, or risky — used of people, deals, objects, or situations.
When to use it
Mainly British informal usage.
Common pairings
a dodgy deal
a dodgy knee
sound dodgy
Word Forms
dodgier comparative, dodgiest superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “dodgy”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
He bought a _____ watch from a street vendor.
Etymology
From dodge + -y, first recorded in mid-19th-century England.