Skip to Content

Log in / Sign up

wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow

What Does "Sus" Mean?

Download Article

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

Download Article

Sus Definition

|

How to Use “Sus”

|

Sus Origins

|

Sussy Baka Definition

|

Sus vs. Suss

|

Video

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

Download Article

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f0\/Sus-Meaning-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Sus-Meaning-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f0\/Sus-Meaning-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Sus-Meaning-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
“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]
X
Research source}
- “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.

Advertisement

Section 2 of 5:

How to Use “Sus”

Download Article

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e7\/Sus-Meaning-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Sus-Meaning-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e7\/Sus-Meaning-Step-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Sus-Meaning-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
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

Download Article

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cc\/Sus-Meaning-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Sus-Meaning-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cc\/Sus-Meaning-Step-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Sus-Meaning-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
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]
  X
  Research source}
- 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.

Advertisement

Section 4 of 5:

Sussy Baka Definition

Download Article

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/aa\/Sus-Meaning-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Sus-Meaning-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/aa\/Sus-Meaning-Step-4.jpg\/v4-728px-Sus-Meaning-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
“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]
X
Research source} At face value, the term essentially means “suspicious idiot,” but it’s never used in a serious manner. ^{[4]
X
Research source}
- 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]
  X
  Research source}

Section 5 of 5:

Sus vs. Suss

Download Article

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1d\/Sus-Meaning-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Sus-Meaning-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1d\/Sus-Meaning-Step-5.jpg\/v4-728px-Sus-Meaning-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
“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]
X
Research source}
- “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]
  X
  Research source}

Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Advertisement

Video

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

You Might Also Like

Advertisement

References

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 4,733 times.

1 votes - 0%

Co-authors: 4

Updated: June 11, 2024

Views: 4,733

Categories: English Dialects and Slang

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 4,733 times.

Did this article help you?

Advertisement

X

-

-

438

.mwimg a.image{display:none}#header_logo{display:none}#cse-search-box{display:none}#cse-search-box-noscript{display:block !important}#cse-search-box-noscript .cse_q{color:#FFF;background-color:#B3CE9C}.wh_search .cse_q{width:88%}#mw-mf-main-menu-button{display:none;visibility:hidden}.header .search{display:none}#search_footer .cse_sa{background-image:url(/extensions/wikihow/mobile/images/white_mag.png);background-size:22px}.related_box{display:block;background:#EEE;border:5px solid #FFF;vertical-align:bottom;width:127px;background-size:180px;float:left;height:120px;position:relative}.related_box p{line-height:15px !important;font-size:13px;background-color:rgba(67,95,44,.4);color:#FFF;font-weight:bold;padding:8px;margin:0 !important;position:absolute;bottom:0}#noscript_header_logo{display:table-cell;vertical-align:middle;background-position:50% 77%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(/extensions/wikihow/mobile/images/wikihow_logo_230.png);background-size:105px;width:auto;height:51px;padding:0 14px}.articleinfo{display:none}#iorg_free_data{z-index:50;width:100%;position:fixed}#ara_recommendations{display:none}

Design a Mobile Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by: