as in defendant
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to guess
to form an opinion from little or no evidence
we suspected that the runaway was a little younger than the 16 she claimed to be—more like 13
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to doubt
to have no trust or confidence in
I suspected him from the moment he said he was an old friend of my sister's, since I probably would have heard about him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged
since she was carrying no cash or credit cards, her claim to the store's detectives that she had intended to pay for the items was suspect
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suspect
Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2025
Deputies identified one of the suspects as 18-year-old Jeremiah Upson.
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
Image There may be unsecured chemical weapons in Syria
More than 100 chemical weapons sites are suspected to remain in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, according to the world’s leading chemical weapons watchdog.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Noun
After establishing a perimeter, officers were directed to a residence where one of the suspects was seen running to.
—Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2025
Deputies identified one of the suspects as 18-year-old Jeremiah Upson.
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
The reason for the chase: The other vehicle was suspected to have been stolen in a carjacking six days earlier.
—Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
Image There may be unsecured chemical weapons in Syria
More than 100 chemical weapons sites are suspected to remain in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, according to the world’s leading chemical weapons watchdog.
—Natasha Frost, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspect
Noun
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The judge’s opinion would identify the grounds for an acquittal or for holding the defendants’ liable.—
Andrea Tinianow,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Critics have long accused Saudi courts of relying on confessions extracted under torture and of denying defendants access to legal representation, in addition to carrying out capital punishment on minors and political dissidents.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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After a clue brought via a time machine (what else?), guesses for Yorkie included Lori Loughlin (Thicke), Kyle Richards (Jeong), and Erika Jayne (McCarthy-Wahlberg).—
Lauren Huff,
EW.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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Wearing a dress with a print that includes white can often leave people guessing.—
Maria Ward,
Vogue,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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People have doubted them ever since a 2-1 win over Villa at the City Ground — which came amid a run of six consecutive victories — guided them into the top four.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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If taxpayers are given reason to doubt that the government will respect their privacy, the integrity and efficacy of our voluntary tax system will eventually crumble.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Wiggins was listed as questionable on the injury report before being upgraded to available.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
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But one thing’s for sure: if trouble runs on espresso martinis and questionable decisions, this crew has already paid the tab.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The biggest culprit was one particular employer: The federal government.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2025
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After all, smartphones are an easy culprit of a collective sense of digital despair.—
Boone Ashworth,
Wired News,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin Brazile, in a tentative ruling issued on Thursday, denied CBS’ bid for a court order that would’ve temporarily blocked Sony’s efforts from assuming distribution.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
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And there’s usually some wiggle room, a premium being paid to reap future opportunities or a discount to assume some risk.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The shooting Saturday in Pocatello outraged the boy's family and neighbors as well as viewers online who questioned why the officers opened fire within about 12 seconds of exiting their patrol cars while making no apparent effort to de-escalate the situation or use less lethal weapons.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2025
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Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes The government has long had broad discretion to question and search noncitizens before admitting them into the country.—
Albert Sun,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At least 11 cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea within 15 months, the alliance heavily suspicious of Russian influence.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
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The only giveaway is the web address, which often uses suspicious or misspelled domains.—
Alex Vakulov,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suspect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspect. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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