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

The corrective action plan gave the school until the end of the year to present findings of the new investigation, but the staff report says that there was a difference in understanding of when the coach allegations report would be presented. —Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 19 Dec. 2025

Smith's attorney Rex Elliott addressed Gonzalez's allegations in a response letter and denied the coach was ever inebriated while at a university event, The Columbus Dispatch and ESPN reported. —Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025

Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital revealed allegations made by the staffer’s attorney, Heidi Sharp, on the day that Moore allegedly entered her home without permission, which later resulted in his arrest. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Dec. 2025

That facility, previously an ICE detention center managed by the private prison company LaSalle Corrections, had closed in 2021 amid allegations of medical abuse against the women held there, according to a bipartisan Senate investigation. —Meg Anderson, NPR, 18 Dec. 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