adj
shifty
SHIHF-tee
adj
1
Looking or behaving as if dishonest or untrustworthy; evasive.
"He gave a shifty answer when asked where he had been."
"The shifty-looking stranger avoided eye contact."
How to Use Shifty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSeeming dishonest or suspicious, often through nervous or evasive behaviour.
Common pairings
shifty eyes
a shifty character
look shifty
Word Forms
shiftier comparative, shiftiest superlative
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He gave a _____ answer when asked where he had been.
Etymology
Built from shift + -y, originally describing someone resourceful with "shifts" (tricks or schemes), which shifted toward meaning dishonest.