Sus

Meaning

What does Sus mean?

The term “Sus” is a slang word for “suspicious” or “suspect”, which can be used to say when something is questionable or shady.

Sus ⁤is an internet ‍slang term that has gained popularity ⁢in recent years. It is used to ⁤describe something or someone suspicious or untrustworthy. The term has its roots in the word “suspicious” or “suspect” and is⁤ often used in ‍online conversations and social media.

In England the term is used as a name for a certain type of law, called “sus law.”

The expression was popularized online in 2020, by the video game Among Us, where an impostor had to be identified by a group of players. The go to expression for calling out for someone’s bizarre behaviour was “Sus,” which popularized the term online, making it the subject of countless memes.

Example: “That‍ guy’s behavior is so ⁢sus, I wouldn’t trust him with my secrets.”

sus bruh

Origin

What's the origin of Sus?

The term “Sus” has first appeared in England as “Sus Law”, a name for the “Stop-and-Search” law which is allowed to the police force to arrest a suspected person if they appeared to be in violation of the Vagrancy Act of 1824. The British shortening dates back to the 1950s but an earlier variation was already used in 1930s called “Suss Out”.

Since the new era anti-racist movements the formerly used “Sus Law” which was against the black and ethnic people in the 1970-1980s was scrapped because of a campaign called “Scrap Sus”.

It was officially outlawed in 1981,but later Black people started using it as a slang on the internet in the early 2000s.

 

Spread & Usage

How did Sus spread?

“Sus” has made some sporadic occurrences online during the 2010s, appearing in a few memes, as well as on Urban Dictionary, however, it began a true internet sensation in 2020, when the video game Among Us became a popular past time across the globe.

Althoguh it is not known, when the Among Us “Sus” memes began, an early example can be linked to Twitter user @PRimeExplorer, who shared a tweet in September 2020, joking about the game.

Following this, the term “Sus” became a frequently used expression on social media sites like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, where people use it to react to something shady or questionable. It quickly integrated into Zoomer slang, appering on TikTok as well, alongside expressions like Lit. “Sus” also turned into a popular meme on the internet during 2020, filling sites like Reddit, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr with image macro memes, as well as YouTube videos, joking about Among Us “Sus” situations.

You can also find the term being used in law books or even court cases which discuss former laws in the US and UK.

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