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suspect
/ˈsʌs.pɛkt/
to regard as likely to be guilty
The police suspect the man of stealing the car.
The police believe the man is likely to have stolen the car.
Law
formal
to regard someone as likely to be guilty of a crime or wrongdoing
The detective suspects the suspect of lying about his alibi.
The detective believes the suspect is not telling the truth about where he was.
Often used in legal and investigative contexts.
general
to imagine or believe something to be true without proof
I suspect that she is hiding something from me.
I believe she is keeping a secret from me, but I don't have evidence.
Law
formal
a person thought to be guilty of a crime or wrongdoing
The suspect was taken into custody for questioning.
The person believed to have committed the crime was arrested for questioning.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Legal vs. General Use
In legal contexts, 'suspect' refers to a person under investigation. In general usage, it means to have doubts or suspicions about something.
Gold Rule
Avoid False Accusations
Use 'suspect' carefully to avoid defamation, especially in legal or professional settings.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'suspecten' (to suspect), from Latin 'suspectus' (looked at from above, suspected), from 'suspicere' (to look up at, suspect), from 'sub-' (under) + 'specere' (to look).
Usage Notes
In legal contexts, 'suspect' refers to a person under investigation. In general usage, it means to have doubts or suspicions about something.
Word Breakdown
sus-
under
prefix-pect
to look
rootEnglish Dictionary