alleged

adjective

al·​leged ə-ˈlejd  -ˈle-jəd 

1

: accused but not proven or convicted

an alleged burglar

2

: asserted to be true or to exist

an alleged miracle

an alleged conspiracy

3

: questionably true or of a specified kind : supposed, so-called

bought an alleged antique vase

allegedly

ə-ˈle-jəd-lē 

adverb

She allegedly stole the money. [=she is alleged to have stolen the money]

Examples of alleged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other information voters should know Abarca is facing misdemeanor domestic battery charges in Kansas, along with related charges in Missouri, after an alleged domestic altercation with his ex-wife in May 2025. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026

State police said the complainant provided investigators with security camera footage of the alleged incident. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026

The alleged joke bombed, greeted by the dinner attendees with silence. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 25 July 2026

Last November, both TMZ and CBS News reported alleged infractions, including being caught with homemade alcohol and trying to make a forbidden three-way phone call. — Cheyenne Roundtree, VIBE.com, 24 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of allege

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for alleged

• dredged
• edged
• fledged
• hedged
• pledged
• wedged
• unpledged

Legal Definition

alleged

adjective

al·​leged ə-ˈlejd, -ˈle-jəd 

1

: asserted to be true

especially : stated in an allegation

alleged crimes

2

: accused but not yet proven or convicted

trial of alleged war criminals

—R. G. Neumann