alleged

adjective

al·​leged ə-ˈlejd How to pronounce alleged (audio) -ˈle-jəd How to pronounce alleged (audio)
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 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 His second alleged victim, Dallas Stoller, was bullied after coming forward with the accusations and died by suicide at the age of 20. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 19 Nov. 2023 The footage did not show where the microphones landed, but photos surfaced showing the alleged victim, POWER 106 radio host Bryhana Monegain. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023 Cal Fire released photos of a person of interest sought in the alleged arson. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 18 Nov. 2023 Preview Subscribe At least one Yucatan official took steps to conceal the alleged bribery, which continued for a time after the acquisition, from Lifecore and its auditor. Richard Vanderford, WSJ, 17 Nov. 2023 The suit also seeks damages for alleged difficulties brought on by Mattel’s failure to fulfill its gift. Kim Bellware, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023 Advertisement Leads left on the department tip line pointed officers to the alleged thieves. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023 According to the Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, no one was struck, and the alleged offenders immediately fled the scene. Caroline Linton, CBS News, 13 Nov. 2023 Pugliese responded by suing DeLuca for alleged breach of contract and predatory lending among other things, accusing the Subway cofounder of pushing him out of his own project. Jemima McEvoy, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'alleged.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see allege

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of alleged was in 1509

Dictionary Entries Near alleged

Cite this Entry

“Alleged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alleged. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Legal Definition

alleged

adjective
1
: asserted to be true
especially : stated in an allegation
alleged crimes
2
: accused but not yet proven or convicted
trial of alleged war criminalsR. G. Neumann
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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