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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in defendant
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suspect
Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Authorities also released surveillance video showing the suspect running across a rooftop overlooking the event, jumping to the ground and then leaving the scene.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
Brashers, who committed suicide in 1999, was also suspected of being a serial predator at the time, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 27 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Verb
He has not been named a suspect or charged with a crime in relation to the case, but is reportedly cooperating with the authorities.
—Adjective
Who is suspected in the church shooting?
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspect
Verb
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Before, players could at least guess at the nature of a game, as each suit represented a different kind of competition.—
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What makes addressUSA different AddressUSA does more than guess.—
Verb
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Realizing his memory is failing him and deeply affected by the disappointing results of his last two plays, Pagnol starts doubting his ability to pursue his work.—
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To honor her story is to honor the stories of millions of women who are doubted, underpaid, undermined, and pushed out, but who rise anyway—to meet the demands of their jobs, to get out the vote at polls, and to lead movements on the front lines.—
Adjective
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After making his return Sunday from a two-week absence due to a toe injury, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will be questionable to play Thursday night against the Los Angeles Rams because of toe soreness, general manager John Lynch said Tuesday morning.—
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Everyone else on our team is questionable.—
Noun
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Both defendants are expected to appeal their convictions.—
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The defendants concealed the cash receipts from an accountant, who prepared their taxes, which led to the fraudulent omission of more than $17 million in gross sales from tax returns filed with the IRS.—
Verb
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Additionally, vice president of operations Donna Washington will assume a new role as vice president of external affairs.—
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Enterprises often assume that simply scaling data—collecting millions more images or video hours—will close the performance gap.—
Verb
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The Israel Defense Forces’ chief of staff, Maj Gen Eyal Zamir, adamantly opposed the latest decision to take over Gaza City, and questioned the high-risk operation targeting Hamas leadership in Qatar.—
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Some have questioned the logic of building an artificial surf lagoon so close to the ocean.—
Adjective
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According to Japan's Foreign Ministry, North Korea has been spotted conducting suspicious transfers of goods between ships in the East China Sea, which is bordered by China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan and Taiwan.—
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An administrative hearing officer kicked her off the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) regardless, based solely on the allegedly suspicious shopping pattern.—
Noun
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Recent analysis from Moody’s Analytics, led by Chief Economist Mark Zandi and Deputy Chief Economist Cristian deRitis, points directly to outdated capital gains tax caps as the culprit that is keeping millions of homes off the market and out of reach for families who need them most.—
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But teams played credibly last week — Fins competitive at Bills, Jets losing in last seconds at Tampa — but 0-3 is 0-3, with two bad defenses the main culprit.—
Cite this Entry
“Suspect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspect. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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