Definition

1. Verb:

   • To believe something is possible or likely, especially something bad or wrong: To have an idea or impression about the existence or truth of something without certain proof.
   • To doubt or distrust: To regard something as unreliable or questionable.

2. Noun:

   • A person believed to be guilty of a crime or offense: Someone who is under investigation or thought to have committed a specific act.
   • A person or entity accused in a legal proceeding: In law, the party against whom an action is brought.

3. Adjective:

   • Not to be trusted or relied upon; possibly dangerous or false: Describing something or someone that causes feelings of doubt or mistrust.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • I suspect he is not telling the whole truth.
  • The detective suspected foul play from the beginning.
  • Do you suspect the authenticity of this document?

• Noun:

  • The police have detained three suspects in connection with the robbery.
  • The main suspect in the case fled the country.

• Adjective:

  • The package was left in a suspect location.
  • His motives for helping seem suspect.

Advanced Usage

• "To be suspected of (something)": To be thought to be guilty of or involved in a particular act.

  • He was suspected of leaking confidential information.

• "A prime suspect": The person considered most likely to be guilty.

  • After the new evidence was found, she became the prime suspect.

• "Suspect classification" (Legal term): In constitutional law, a class of persons subjected to potentially discriminatory laws, triggering strict judicial scrutiny.

Variants and Related Words

• Suspicion (n): A feeling or thought that something may be true or the case, especially something wrong.

  • She had a suspicion that she was being followed.

• Suspicious (adj.): Having or showing a cautious distrust of someone or something; causing one to have the idea or impression that something is wrong.

  • The man was acting in a suspicious manner.

• Unsuspected (adj.): Not known or thought to exist or be present; not suspected.

  • The drug had unsuspected side effects.

Synonyms

• Verb: Doubt, distrust, mistrust, conjecture, surmise.
• Noun: Accused, defendant, person of interest.
• Adjective: Dubious, questionable, fishy, shady.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

• Suspect someone of something: To believe someone may be guilty of a specific act.
  • They suspect him of theft.

Related Idioms

• "Above suspicion": So trustworthy or innocent that no one would suspect them of wrongdoing.

  • As a judge, she must be a person above suspicion.

• "A suspect package": A parcel or item that is believed might contain something dangerous, like an explosive.

  • The station was evacuated due to a suspect package.

Adjective

1. not as expected
   • there was something fishy about the accident
   • up to some funny business
   • some definitely queer goings-on
   • a shady deal
   • her motives were suspect
   • suspicious behavior

Noun

1. a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused
2. someone who is under suspicion

Verb

1. hold in suspicion; believe to be guilty
   • The U.S. suspected Bin Laden as the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks
2. regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence in
3. imagine to be the case or true or probable
   • I suspect he is a fugitive
   • I surmised that the butler did it