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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
The suspect was ultimately acquitted after claiming self-defense, stating that Marshall and Payne were trying to rob him.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The warrant also lists wanted records related to equipment inspections and maintenance at GKN and samples of substances within any tanks or containers suspected of having previously held methyl methacrylate or other hazardous materials.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Noun
The suspect was found hiding in a cave – nearly three days after the first victim was discovered.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
The suspect was ultimately acquitted after claiming self-defense, stating that Marshall and Payne were trying to rob him.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026
Verb
Two days after the shooting — for which suspect Cole Thomas Allen had been arrested, on charges of attempting to assassinate the president — Katie appeared on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle and defended Stephen's actions during the dinner.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
The warrant also lists wanted records related to equipment inspections and maintenance at GKN and samples of substances within any tanks or containers suspected of having previously held methyl methacrylate or other hazardous materials.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspect
Noun
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Two of those victims were discovered decades ago, and investigators are examining other cases possibly linked to the defendant, Dwight Rhone, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.—
Andrew Blankstein,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
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His attorney says the defendant climbed the Temescal Canyon hillside only to watch New Year’s fireworks, immediately called 911, and that no physical evidence links him to starting the fire.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Abraham Madriz, who came on for Sequeira in the 62nd minute when the starting goalkeeper was injured, guessed the wrong way and was unable to save it.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 June 2026
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And anyone want to guess that Nicks has an invite, too?—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Many other observers — including Hilton and Bianco — publicly doubted that would happen.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
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Because of that, investors are perhaps doubting this attempt as well.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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The 27-year-old is known for his steadying presence and reliable defense in the midfield, and with questionable depth behind him, losing Adams to an injury or yellow card suspension could prove disastrous.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
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Using a specific set of situational conditions under which the detection system is effective is questionable, Chris Smith, one of the plaintiff’s attorneys, told Ars.—
Cyrus Farivar,
ArsTechnica,
7 June 2026
Noun
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The true culprits are the millions of Americans who simply remain neutral when democracy is threatened.—
Matthew E.K. Hall,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
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Another possible culprit is a worn or broken belt.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
Verb
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The most common mistake is building the orchestrator first and assuming specialists will materialize later.—
Praveen Satyanarayana,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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Democrats are refusing to agree to an extension as long as Pulte is set to assume the role.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Trump frequently questioned Joe Biden's fitness.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
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Some questioned how handing out reprints of an editorial published in the ADA’s own journal, at the ADA’s own annual conference, could be construed as a violation of that code.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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The duo first appear in parodied versions of the Longlegs roles originated by Blair Underwood and Maika Monroe midway through Scary Movie, standing by as their fellow officers are sent off after a suspicious perp.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
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The Bahraini military urged residents to exercise caution around any unfamiliar or suspicious objects that may have fallen as a result of the attacks and to report them immediately to authorities.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suspect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspect. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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