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
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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
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2026
The suspect remains in custody until legal proceedings conclude and must go through trial proceedings before being convicted.
—
Sophia Mandt,
The Washington Examiner,
30 June 2026
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
29 June 2026
It was suspected only eight inmates remained in the facility when SBI agents made entry to take them into custody, officials said.
—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Noun
The state also sought to undercut the defense theory that the DNA could point to an unknown suspect, arguing that trace DNA under fingernails does not automatically suggest a struggle with an assailant.
—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2026
The suspect remains in custody until legal proceedings conclude and must go through trial proceedings before being convicted.
—
Sophia Mandt,
The Washington Examiner,
30 June 2026
Verb
Arnold allegedly suspected that two of the three victims were responsible for the theft, though investigators ultimately determined that none of them were involved, Tampa police said.
—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
29 June 2026
It was suspected only eight inmates remained in the facility when SBI agents made entry to take them into custody, officials said.
—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspect
Noun
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His girlfriend, Syanna Ruiz, held their child in court, demanding the defendants remain behind bars.
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In court documents, O’Hara alleged the defendants violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, accusing them of unlawfully restricting free speech and initiating an unlawful seizure while using excessive force.
Verb
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Peter, Anton and Marian Stastny, Quebec Nordiques, 1980-89 Even someone who barely knows a puck from a duck could guess Wayne Gretzky led the NHL in scoring for the 1980s.
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Competitive Wordle Score The Wordle Bot gets 1 point for guessing in three and 1 for beating me.
Verb
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All of those Republicans are seriously doubting the president here, Senator Graham.
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Some residents of northern Israel doubted the fighting would stop.
Adjective
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During oral arguments, attorneys for both trans athletes had questionable moments.
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If the debt isn't actually yours, is too old to be legally enforceable or is otherwise questionable, negotiating may do more harm than good.
Noun
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So, if some of your favorite dishes don't have the same punch, expired spices could be the culprit.
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Take back your basement by letting go of these common clutter culprits.
Verb
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Sweden loses key piece The first half was a sloppy slugfest as both teams tried to use their physicality to assume control.
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John Murphy, president and chief financial officer, will assume the responsibilities in the interim, according to an announcement.
Verb
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Photos of Haaland on the tarmac posted to social media were riddled with homophobia and comments questioning the striker’s masculinity.
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Maps published by the Israeli government show the pilot zones encompassing the villages of Froun, Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh and Ghandouriyeh, but commentators question their value, noting Israel does not have a significant presence in those villages.
Adjective
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Large-scale events involve tabletop exercises with law enforcement, fire departments, emergency managers and venue officials running through countless scenarios — evacuations, suspicious packages, drones and crowd surges.
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Residents who witness suspicious activity can contact non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 or call 911 when appropriate.
Cite this Entry
“Suspect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspect. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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