allege

verb

al·​lege ə-ˈlej 

alleged; alleging

transitive verb

1

: to assert without proof or before proving

a report alleging that the company deliberately overcharged its customers

She is alleged to have stolen more than $50,000 over the course of several years.

2

: to bring forward as a reason or excuse

3

archaic : to adduce or bring forward as a source or authority

Did you know?

These days, someone alleges something before presenting evidence to prove it (or perhaps without evidence at all). But the word allege comes directly from the Middle English verb alleggen, meaning "to submit (something) in evidence or as justification." (Alleggen traces back to the Anglo-French word aleger, meaning "to lighten, free, or exculpate.") Our word has at times in the past carried a meaning closer to that of its ancestor's: it was once applied when bringing someone or something forward as a source or authority in court, as in "a text alleged in support of the argument." The word has also been used to mean "to bring forward as a reason or excuse," as in these lines from Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel Jane Eyre: "I did not like to walk at this hour alone with Mr. Rochester in the shadowy orchard; but I could not find a reason to allege for leaving him."

Synonyms

• insist
• claim
• contend
• assert

Examples of allege in a Sentence

He alleged that the mayor has accepted bribes.

The mayor is alleged to have accepted bribes.

You allege that she stole a large quantity of money. Do you have any proof?

Recent Examples on the Web

Jessie Watkins, a Milwaukee barber, alleges he was racially profiled and unlawfully searched by Waukesha police officers. —Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Newsom sued in June, alleging that Fox host Jesse Watters defamed him by claiming that Newsom lied about a phone call with President Trump. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025

The federal complaint alleged that billing for upkeep and improvements to the Amadea from September 2021 to April 2022 tallied more than $1.3 million. —Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025

Supporters of Colbert, a frequent Trump critic, also alleged in the wake of his talk show's cancellation that, amid CBS parent company Paramount's recent merger with Skydance, the move might've been politically motivated in an effort to get the FCC to approve the deal. —EW.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English alleggen to submit in evidence or as justification, adduce, from Anglo-French aleger, allegger, probably in part modification of Medieval Latin allegare, from Latin, to send as a representative, adduce in support of a plea (from ad- + legare to depute), in part from Anglo-French aleger to lighten, free, exculpate, from Late Latin alleviare to relieve — more at legate, alleviate

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for allege

• straightedge
• dredge
• edge
• hedge
• ledge
• pledge
• sedge
• sledge
• wedge

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

allege

verb

al·​lege ə-ˈlej 

alleged; alleging

1

: to state as a fact but without proof

allege a person's guilt

2

: to offer as a reason or excuse

allege illness to avoid work

alleged

ə-ˈlejd

-ˈlej-əd

adjective

allegedly

ə-ˈlej-əd-lē

adverb

Legal Definition

allege

transitive verb

al·​lege ə-ˈlej 

alleged; alleging

1

: to state without proof or before proving

2

: to state (as a fact) in a pleading : aver

Etymology

Old French alegier to alleviate, free, confused with Old French alleguer to allege, from Medieval Latin allegare see allegata