suspect

³sus·pect

verb \sə-ˈspekt\

Definition of SUSPECT

transitive verb

1

: to imagine (one) to be guilty or culpable on slight evidence or without proof <suspect him of giving false information>

2

: to have doubts of : distrust <suspects her motives>

3

: to imagine to exist or be true, likely, or probable <I suspect he's right>

intransitive verb

: to imagine something to be true or likely

Examples of SUSPECT

1. He's suspected in four burglaries.
2. The police do not suspect murder in this case.
3. The fire chief suspects arson.
4. I suspect it will rain.
5. Call the doctor immediately if you suspect you've been infected.
6. The latest research confirms what scientists have long suspected.
7. I suspect she's not who she says she is.
8. “We haven't done our homework.” “I suspected as much.”
9. I suspected his motives in giving me the money.
10. I have reason to suspect her sincerity when she makes promises like that.

Origin of SUSPECT

Middle English, from Latin suspectare, frequentative of suspicere to look up at, regard with awe, suspect, from sub-, sus- up, secretly + specere to look at — more at sub-, spy

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to SUSPECT

Synonyms: assume, conjecture, daresay, imagine, presume, speculate, suppose, surmise, guess, suspicion [chiefly dialect]

Antonyms: trust

Related Words: conclude, deduce, gather, infer; hypothecate, hypothesize, theorize; believe, conceive, expect, judge, reckon [chiefly dialect], take, think

Near Antonyms: demonstrate, document, establish, prove, substantiate, validate; ascertain, determine, find out, learn

see all synonyms and antonyms

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