allegation

noun

al·​le·​ga·​tion ˌa-li-ˈgā-shən 

1

: the act of alleging something

2

: a positive assertion especially of misconduct

Some former colleagues have made serious allegations against him.

specifically : a statement by a party to a legal action of what the party undertakes to prove

3

: an assertion unsupported and by implication regarded as unsupportable

Examples of allegation in a Sentence

The police are investigating allegations that the mayor has accepted bribes.

There have been allegations of fraud in the city government.

You're making a serious allegation. Do you have any proof?

Recent Examples on the Web

Even then, some parents said they felt misled about how seriously the district treated the allegations. —Hannah Dreyfus, AZCentral.com, 31 Aug. 2025

The allegations are nearly identical to those levied against Google in 2022, which resulted in a lawsuit that was dismissed in 2024. —Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 30 Aug. 2025

The allegations have followed Allen since the early 1990s, but really took hold in 2014, after a Golden Globe lifetime achievement award presented to the filmmaker led to a backlash and public reexamination of the case. —Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025

Cook’s suit argues that the allegations are merely a smokescreen for Trump’s political campaign to replace her at the Fed with governors who are more amenable to his desire for lower interest rates. —Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English allegacion "formal declaration in court, argument offered as proof," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin allēgātiōn-, allēgātiō "representation on behalf of another, charge," from allēgāre "to adduce in support of a plea" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at allege

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for allegation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

allegation

noun

al·​le·​ga·​tion ˌal-i-ˈgā-shən 

1

: the act of alleging

2

: something alleged

especially : a statement not supported by proof or evidence

allegations of criminal involvement

Legal Definition

allegation

noun

al·​le·​ga·​tion ˌa-lə-ˈgā-shən 

1

: the act of alleging

2

a

: a statement not yet proven

allegations in an affidavit

b

: a statement by a party to a lawsuit of what the party will attempt to prove : averment compare accusation, indictment, information, proof