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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in defendant
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suspect
Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 1 July 2025
The suspect, who investigators did not identify, is expected to be arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and two allegations of driving under the influence, Price said.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025
Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Many of the vehicle’s parts seem to be missing, so Mohl suspects it was salvaged and abandoned after breaking down.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Verb
The now deceased suspect is believed to have started the fire intentionally to draw-in and target responding firefighters, officials have said.
—Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 1 July 2025
The suspect, who investigators did not identify, is expected to be arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and two allegations of driving under the influence, Price said.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025
Adjective
The facets of the world, Sharon suspected, revealed themselves to people at different times.
—Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Many of the vehicle’s parts seem to be missing, so Mohl suspects it was salvaged and abandoned after breaking down.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for suspect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspect
Verb
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Trying to differentiate the bad from the good, guessing who’s lying or telling the truth, and attempting to solve a true crime thriller are all mental puzzles that are endlessly frustrating yet completely entertaining.—
Paulina Jayne Isaac,
Glamour,
5 July 2025
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Still, Geragos guessed both of those numbers were far off base.—
Tracy Wright , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
4 July 2025
Verb
-
There’s no doubting Mbeumo would be a strong signing for Manchester United, but this is a team with far too much rebuilding to do this summer to waste too much time on the pursuit of a single player.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Prosecutors countered with a Polaroid employee who said the film had not even been manufactured until five months after the crime, a blow to the defense’s credibility that left jurors doubting Pratt’s other claims.—
Christopher Goffard,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
Credits are issued by independent registries but the market has faced criticism for inconsistent standards, greenwashing, and questionable impact.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Chisholm followed that free pass with a questionable sac bunt for the first out of the inning.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
The defendants have moved to dismiss the claims but the case is currently ongoing.—
Zach Everson,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
The defendants were officials with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, and Attorney General Raúl Labrador.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
1 July 2025
Verb
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President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act – assuming the version Senate Republicans passed on Tuesday becomes law–would cut the legs out from under the renewable energy industry.—
Christopher Helman,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has assumed oversight of Tesla Inc.’s sales in Europe and the U.S. following the departure of longtime deputy Omead Afshar, people familiar with the matter said.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Interest Rates: While speaking at an event in Portugal Tuesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell was questioned about the timing of an interest rate cut.—
Catherine Brock,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
The network of community leaders and officials all questioned the administration’s determination that Haiti is now safe enough for people to return.—
Churchill Ndonwie,
Miami Herald,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, security teams must expand visibility with tools that monitor AI use, flag suspicious behavior and inventory every AI-enabled app.—
Jason Vest,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Why else, the night Mrs. Palit invited us to dinner, did my eyes fall on suspicious dark objects, not much larger than prominent flecks of salt, in the dal?—
Jhumpa Lahiri,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Weak glutes are another culprit, since that causes the hamstrings to take on more work to extend the hips, Dr. Melvan explains.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
26 June 2025
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According to the National Fire Protection Association, grills are responsible for thousands of home fires each year, and grease is often the culprit.—
JP Shaffer,
Sacbee.com,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suspect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspect. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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