probable cause

noun

: a reasonable ground for supposing that a charge is well-founded

Examples of probable cause in a Sentence

The lawyer argued that there was a lack of probable cause for a search warrant.

The police had probable cause to arrest him.

Recent Examples on the Web

After the incident on June 7, Burton was identified as a suspect from surveillance footage from the gas station where the shooting took place, the probable cause affidavit says. —Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 14 June 2026

Those reviews are subject to certain procedural and executive branch oversight measures but do not require intelligence agencies and agents to demonstrate probable cause of wrongdoing to a court. —Eric McDaniel, NPR, 12 June 2026

To obtain a search warrant, federal authorities must convince a judge that probable cause of criminal activity exists. —ABC News, 12 June 2026

The probable cause statement from that 2024 case said that Jones had been found inside a home that was being renovated and had broken two windows, a kitchen faucet and there were holes in the drywall. —Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for probable cause

• magnetopause
• ahs
• baas
• clause
• claws
• coz
• daws
• draws
• flaws
• gauze
• gnaws
• haws

Legal Definition

probable cause

see also:

cause sense 2