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
Liz Kreutz, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Police arrested a longtime suspect Thursday in the 1990 killing of Kim Thomas in her Charlotte home — a high-profile homicide that has haunted the city for decades.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Mason Leib, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
All four victims are believed to have been murdered by serial killer Terry Peder Rasmussen, the biological father of Rea, who was suspected of killing at least six women and two children prior to his death in 2010.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Noun
That suspect was also seen wearing a holster.
—Liz Kreutz, NBC news, 20 Feb. 2026
Police arrested a longtime suspect Thursday in the 1990 killing of Kim Thomas in her Charlotte home — a high-profile homicide that has haunted the city for decades.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
In special cases, authorities may apply for a longer hold of 36 to 96 hours if a suspect is suspected of a serious crime.
—Mason Leib, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
All four victims are believed to have been murdered by serial killer Terry Peder Rasmussen, the biological father of Rea, who was suspected of killing at least six women and two children prior to his death in 2010.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspect
Noun
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Prosecutors say the defendant failed to take into account his girlfriend’s inexperience in mountain climbing as well as the harsh winter conditions.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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That has invited court challenges from defendants with cases before federal prosecutors and drawn resistance from judges who say the appointments are unlawful.—
JESSICA HILL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When the then-prince walked up to Giuffre, Maxwell urged the prince to guess her age.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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So if two people are vying for the same apartment and only one of them has coverage, guess who the landlord is likely to favor?—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Some of those moves have been more successful than others, but the club’s ambition cannot be doubted.—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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Hammer shouldn’t have doubted himself so much, as the project got immediate industry traction.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The wind is getting questionable.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2026
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Someone older might have questionable advice for you.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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When a new string of murders grips their California community, the underestimated trio set out to catch the culprit themselves.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
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One way out is to imagine that dark energy — the culprit and driving force behind the accelerated expansion of the Universe — can in some way change over time.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But as Burnett’s television empire grew, other executive producers like Tom Shelly and Doug McCallie assumed the role of overseeing the day-to-day filming logistics, with Burnett still signing off on key creative elements.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
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Some people assume any gold purchase is automatically reported to the government.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Uludag denied the accusations during questioning, insisting that his posts were legitimate criticism made in his capacity as a judiciary reporter, according to court documents published by Cumhuriyet newspaper.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
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Some researchers question whether addiction is the appropriate term to describe heavy use of social media, arguing that a person must be experiencing identifiable symptoms.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Gallup poll now departs for the same Valhalla as the big three broadcast networks, bowling leagues, and roast beef for Sunday dinner—institutions that were once almost universally accepted but did not survive in a more divided and mutually suspicious America.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
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My father was a convenience store owner, so convenience stores were both very familiar to me and at the same time rather suspicious.—
Blake Simons,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suspect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspect. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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