as in defendant
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1
as in to guess
to form an opinion from little or no evidence
we suspected that the runaway was a little younger than the 16 she claimed to be—more like 13
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to doubt
to have no trust or confidence in
I suspected him from the moment he said he was an old friend of my sister's, since I probably would have heard about him
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as in questionable
giving good reason for being doubted, questioned, or challenged
since she was carrying no cash or credit cards, her claim to the store's detectives that she had intended to pay for the items was suspect
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suspect
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026
The suspect then stabbed her partner, whose identity has also not been released, in the back.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Doctors suspected that both of their cancers came from the same type of HPV.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Noun
Police were able to identify Torres as a suspect after sharing photos with the media and through social media, Murgo said.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026
The suspect then stabbed her partner, whose identity has also not been released, in the back.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
It’s suspected some of the wounded were also among the shooters, police said.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Doctors suspected that both of their cancers came from the same type of HPV.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspect
Noun
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An Alford plea allows defendants in criminal court cases to maintain their innocence in relation to an alleged crime, while simultaneously agreeing to plead guilty, according to the United States Department of Justice.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Montoya and two other defendants charged in the case are not part of the agreement and are scheduled to proceed toward a September trial.—
Theresa Clift,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But whether that happens is anyone’s guess — or to be more specific, tens of thousands of guesses.—
Bernard Condon,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Neither of them could have guessed at the time how their lives would later intersect.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Some close observers doubt City could agree a fresh contract with Rodri and spend more than £100m on Anderson.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
This pair of novellas is about a middle-aged woman, the heroine’s sister, who comes to Tokyo intent on obtaining breast implants and a protagonist contemplating artificial insemination in a culture that doubts the procedure’s morality.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The department did not directly respond to questions the Tribune sent in February about how the city could have let obviously questionable entries slip through in the first place.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
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Now, the school is feeling some of the same competitive pressure its public school neighbors have been feeling – because, in Cedar Rapids' new, competitive marketplace, its product has gone from shiny and new to questionable and perhaps tainted.—
Cory Turner,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If your car is equipped with front radar or driver‑assist features, dirt on the sensor or slight misalignment from a parking‑lot bump could also be the culprit.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Adding teeth whitening toothpaste to your daily brushing routine is an excellent way to address discoloration caused by popular culprits such as coffee, wine and smoking.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Many assume its American branch is a similar money pit.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
So our guys moved up, assuming it was not caught.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With the third-year pro also coming off a subpar 2025 campaign, Wells’ offensive capabilities have been the subject of questioning in recent weeks and months.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
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The Republican has built a reputation in part due to his willingness to question the federal government’s role in releasing classified information.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Water testing has been temporarily increased to once a month at the Oceanside Harbor after someone reported seeing a suspicious liquid dumped from a boat.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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In October, Havens ran off after attendees at a school volleyball game notified a Will County sheriff’s office school resource officer of suspicious behavior, according to a sheriff’s news release at the time.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suspect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspect. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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