dodgy
adjective
ˈdä-jē 
1
chiefly British : evasive, tricky
2
chiefly British
a
: not sound, good, or reliable
b
: questionable, suspicious
3
chiefly British : requiring skill or care in handling or coping with
dodginess
ˈdä-jē-nəs
noun 
Synonyms
- catchy
- delicate
- difficult
- hairy
- knotty
- nasty
- prickly
- problematic
- problematical
- sensitive
- spiny
- sticky
- thorny
- ticklish
- touchy
- tough
- tricksy
- tricky
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The car's got a dodgy engine. They got into a dodgy situation.
Recent Examples on the Web At a press conference the following day, members of the Artemis team suggested the apparent engine issue might actually have been a sign of a dodgy temperature sensor. 
WIRED, 5 Sep. 2022 Online marketplaces like Amazon would have to do the same for dodgy products, such as counterfeit sneakers or unsafe toys. Kelvin Chan And Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Apr. 2022 Online marketplaces like Amazon would have to do the same for dodgy products, such as counterfeit sneakers or unsafe toys. Kelvin Chan And Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Apr. 2022 The dodgy fairy is M. Night Shyamalan, of Signs and The Happening: the sometimes brilliant, sometimes exasperating high-concept showman whose influence is also present – but unacknowledged, un-homaged. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 20 July 2022 There are hints of the dodgy tactics that would eventually topple Holmes, yet the overwhelming impression is of her extraordinary nature. Manvir Singh, Wired, 14 July 2022 In case of a dodgy activity, IdentityIQ will send you a timely alert and also go all the way towards restoring your identity. The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 June 2022 Formerly dodgy neighborhoods like Malasaña—from which La Movida movement and Pedro Almodóvar came—and the once druggy Chueca have been cleaned up and reinvented with stylish storefronts, sunny cafes, and a chorus of languages, including English. Christian L. Wright, WSJ, 29 Apr. 2022 Online marketplaces like Amazon would have to do the same for dodgy products, such as counterfeit sneakers or unsafe toys. Kelvin Chan And Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Apr. 2022 See More
WIRED, 5 Sep. 2022 Online marketplaces like Amazon would have to do the same for dodgy products, such as counterfeit sneakers or unsafe toys. Kelvin Chan And Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Apr. 2022 Online marketplaces like Amazon would have to do the same for dodgy products, such as counterfeit sneakers or unsafe toys. Kelvin Chan And Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Apr. 2022 The dodgy fairy is M. Night Shyamalan, of Signs and The Happening: the sometimes brilliant, sometimes exasperating high-concept showman whose influence is also present – but unacknowledged, un-homaged. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 20 July 2022 There are hints of the dodgy tactics that would eventually topple Holmes, yet the overwhelming impression is of her extraordinary nature. Manvir Singh, Wired, 14 July 2022 In case of a dodgy activity, IdentityIQ will send you a timely alert and also go all the way towards restoring your identity. The Salt Lake Tribune, 7 June 2022 Formerly dodgy neighborhoods like Malasaña—from which La Movida movement and Pedro Almodóvar came—and the once druggy Chueca have been cleaned up and reinvented with stylish storefronts, sunny cafes, and a chorus of languages, including English. Christian L. Wright, WSJ, 29 Apr. 2022 Online marketplaces like Amazon would have to do the same for dodgy products, such as counterfeit sneakers or unsafe toys. Kelvin Chan And Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1861, in the meaning defined at sense 1
dodgy
adjective
1
as in difficult
requiring exceptional skill or caution in performance or handling getting the trade unions to go along with the agreement will be a rather dodgy piece of work Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- difficult
- tough
- problematic
- sensitive
- complicated
- problematical
- nasty
- tricky
- tricksy
- problem
- sticky
- serious
- delicate
- thorny
- touchy
- hairy
- hard
- complex
- catchy
- painful
- knotty
- troublesome
- spiny
- ticklish
- prickly
- intricate
- involved
- recondite
- abstruse
- worrisome
- inconvenient
- vexing
- stubborn
- vexatious
- abstract
- oppressive
- onerous
- scabrous
- stressful
- troublous
- demanding
- discommoding
- exacting
- exhausting
- burdensome
- importunate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- simple
- straightforward
- easy
- unproblematic
- uncomplicated
- undemanding
- effortless
- painless
- manageable
2
as in cunning
clever at attaining one's ends by indirect and often deceptive means needed a dodgy barrister to get him acquitted of the charge Synonyms & Similar Words
- cunning
- cute
- fraudulent
- deceptive
- subtle
- slick
- dishonest
- crooked
- tricky
- shady
- wily
- sly
- treacherous
- beguiling
- foxy
- crafty
- artful
- devious
- shrewd
- cagey
- designing
- scheming
- deceitful
- slippery
- unscrupulous
- guileful
- calculating
- plotting
- sharp
- shifty
- clandestine
- cagy
- sneaky
- undercover
- glib
- astute
- oblique
- circular
- covert
- hypocritical
- underhand
- secret
- underhanded
- insinuating
- serpentine
- roundabout
- surreptitious
- knavish
- insincere
- concealed
- facile
- circuitous
- furtive
- stealthy
- backhanded
- Machiavellian
- smooth-tongued
- two-faced
- mealy
- double-dealing
- mealymouthed
- hugger-mugger
- left-handed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- obvious
- innocent
- artless
- real
- guileless
- plain
- public
- simple
- straightforward
- unsophisticated
- direct
- honest
- open
- unaffected
- natural
- unpretentious
- forthright
- frank
- outspoken
- sincere
- impressionable
- unconcealed
- candid
- patent
- ingenuous
- undesigning
- unvarnished
- childlike
- unworldly
- aboveboard
- simpleminded
- trusting
- unpretending
- unforced
- unstudied
- trustful
- plainspoken
3
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged the authenticity of the "lost" Shakespearean sonnet was more than a little dodgy Synonyms & Similar Words
- questionable
- dubious
- disputable
- suspicious
- problematic
- doubtful
- suspect
- problematical
- debatable
- shaky
- fishy
- shady
- alleged
- ambiguous
- equivocal
- unclear
- queer
- dubitable
- supposed
- doubtable
- weak
- unlikely
- uncertain
- flimsy
- improbable
- moot
- so-called
- undetermined
- undecided
- open
- far-fetched
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- certain
- indisputable
- unproblematic
- unquestionable
- sure
- undeniable
- undoubted
- incontestable
- indubitable
- questionless
- obvious
- definitive
- decisive
- positive
- clear
- hands-down
- open-and-shut