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What Does "Sus" Mean?

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How to use the slang terms "sus" and "sussy baka"

Co-authored by Janice Tieperman Reviewed by Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones

Last Updated: June 11, 2024 Fact Checked

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Sus Definition

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How to Use “Sus”

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Sus Origins

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Sussy Baka Definition

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Sus vs. Suss

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The word “sus” seemed to come out of nowhere during the 2020 pandemic, but if you aren’t up-to-date on your digital slang, it can definitely be a headscratcher. Short for “suspicious,” “sus” took the world by storm thanks to the murder mystery game Among Us —but that’s not all. Read on to learn everything there is to know about this social media slang word, including a popular meme-y variation of it.

Sus Meaning

Sus is a slang term for “suspicious” and is used to describe someone or something questionable. The word “sus” originated in the 20th century but became popular during the pandemic thanks to the video game “Among Us."

Section 1 of 5:

Sus Definition

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“Sus” is a slang word for “suspicious” or “suspect.” It’s most commonly said by kids and teens, and is used to describe someone or something that’s a little fishy or questionable. ^{[1]
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- “That weather report is sus, dude. Weren’t we supposed to get snow today?”
- Person A: “Is it true that Jeff is transferring to a new school?”
  Person B: “Not sure, bro. That sounds pretty sus.”
- The word “sus” is often used on social media (like TikTok), but it means the same thing across all platforms.

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Section 2 of 5:

How to Use “Sus”

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Use “sus” to describe something suspicious or questionable. Maybe you see something strange on social media, or a friend tells you something that isn’t quite believable. Use the word “sus” to properly share your suspicions and make your doubts known.
- “The new menu item at Burger King seems incredibly sus.”
- “I dunno, man. Their behavior seems pretty sus to me.”
- “I got a text saying I won a free iPad—it was incredibly sus.”

Section 3 of 5:

Sus Origins

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Sus existed before 2020, but it was popularized thanks to Among Us . During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the multiplayer video game Among Us became immensely popular, which likely skyrocketed the usage and notoriety of the word "sus."
- Among Us is essentially an ongoing murder mystery game—1 or 2 of the players are assigned as being “imposters” on a spaceship, whose mission is to kill all the other crewmates without being identified. When dead bodies are discovered, all the crewmates meet and theorize who the imposter could be; at this point, certain players out other players as being “sus” in an attempt to get them ejected from the spaceship. ^{[2]
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- If you’re a parent and your child cracks a joke using words like “imposter” or “eject/ejected,” they’re almost certainly referencing the game.

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Section 4 of 5:

Sussy Baka Definition

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“Sussy baka” is a meme phrase that means “suspicious fool.” TikTok user Akeam Francis first coined the phrase “sussy baka” in one of his videos, which is a combination of the word sus (using the made-up word “sussy”) and “baka,” which is the Japanese word for fool or idiot. ^{[3]
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Research source} At face value, the term essentially means “suspicious idiot,” but it’s never used in a serious manner. ^{[4]
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- The term has been repurposed into a variety of different memes, and even made it into a Cameo video recorded by Breaking Bad actor Dean Norris, who famously says “Don’t lie to me, Walt [the main character of BB], you sussy baka!” ^{[5]
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Section 5 of 5:

Sus vs. Suss

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“Suss” has a different meaning than “sus.” The word “suss” is a verb that means “to discover or understand something.” Typically, “suss” is used in the past tense, like “I sussed this out” or “They sussed that out.” It doesn’t have to do with someone or something being suspicious. ^{[6]
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- “I sussed out that it was a raccoon knocking over my garbage cans, not my neighbor’s dog.”
- “I felt really sick last night and I sussed that it had something to do with what I ate.”
- Did You Know? In the UK, “suss” is used as an alternative spelling for “sus." ^{[7]
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About This Article

Reviewed by:

Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones

Social Media Marketing Expert

This article was reviewed by Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman . Anyah Gilmore-Jones is a Social Media Marketing Expert based in Nashville, Tennessee. An innovative experiential and social media marketer, Anyah is skilled at creating engaging brand experiences and leverages her passion for connecting people and ideas to drive organic growth for purpose-driven brands. As the founder of GROW by Gilmore, a social media strategy company, Anyah develops data-driven social media strategies focused on authentic community building. She has over 4 years of experience spearheading viral campaigns and producing content for brands like HBCU Buzz, Black & Scholared, SHEIN, and Project Art Collective. She received her BA from Howard University in Political Science and Government. This article has been viewed 8,068 times.

5 votes - 80%

Co-authors: 4

Updated: June 11, 2024

Views: 8,068

Categories: English Dialects and Slang

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 8,068 times.

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