What Does Sus Mean? A Guide for Parents and Teachers
Published
“Sus” is short for “suspicious”. Kids use it for anything that seems a bit off or not to be trusted.
Where “Sus” Comes From
The word is decades old, but kids picked it up from the game Among Us, where players try to spot a fake crewmate.
How Kids Use “Sus”
Kids call a person, link or story “sus” when something about it feels wrong. “That link looks sus.” “Why is he being so quiet? Sus.”
It is often just a joke between friends, like “you took the last cookie, sus”.
What Parents and Teachers Can Do
For parents: “sus” is a handy word to borrow, because spotting what feels off is a good habit online. Ask your child what makes a message or link look sus.
For teachers: it fits well into a lesson on checking sources. Students can say what makes a website or a claim sus and how they would check it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “sus” a bad word?
No. It is short for “suspicious”.
Do kids have to play Among Us to say “sus”?
No. Among Us made it popular, but the word is older, and now kids use it for anything that seems a bit odd.
Try the Gen Alpha Slang Wheel
Spin a word, guess what it means, then check the answer under the wheel. A quick game for class or the dinner table.
Spin the slang wheelMore from the Blog
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