suspected 1 of 2

suspected

2 of 2

verb

past tense of suspect
1
2
as in doubted
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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of suspected
Adjective
The explosion targeting Ranucci occurred on the eighth anniversary of the car bomb slaying of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who wrote extensively about suspected corruption in political and business circles. CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 In Thembisa, a suburb of Johannesburg, rioters reportedly threw stones at police and suspected migrants, with witnesses saying sporadic gunfire was heard. Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 During the voyage, according to the DOJ, crew members discovered numerous packages hidden inside the ship’s garbage room that contained suspected narcotics. City News Service, Daily News, 23 May 2026 The case has become one of the most emblematic examples cited by rights organizations accusing Venezuela’s security apparatus of using arbitrary detention, incommunicado imprisonment and forced disappearances against dissidents and suspected opponents. Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 May 2026 Six cases have been confirmed as Andes strain hantavirus infections, while two remain suspected cases. Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 9 May 2026 The scheme is designed to identify suspected criminals, combat identity fraud, and to police the EU's limit on 90-day stays within a 180-day period, according to the European Commission. Emma Clarke, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Sacramento Police Department will hold a DUI checkpoint Friday night to identify drivers suspected of being impaired by alcohol or drugs. Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Medical experts at the time suspected her death was caused by a brain abnormality that ruptured because of the intensity of the ride. Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026 Romo grew increasingly concerned about Molina’s drug use and suspected him of theft, according to testimony. Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The medical examiner’s office previously said that foul play was not suspected, but that carbon monoxide poisoning has been ruled out as a possibility. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026 Idaho Department of Health and Welfare officials determined that the 41-year-old suspected of killing a young man on the Boise River Greenbelt isn’t competent to stand trial. Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 25 Aug. 2026 Court records show York was initially suspected of engagement in prostitution. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026 After at least 20 heists in Florida, a trio suspected of stealing family heirlooms and other valuables from cemeteries is now in custody. Rylan Digiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026 Initially, some officials in the West suspected that Russia might have carried out the explosions. ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspected
Adjective
  • This alleged decision came after his agent Jorge Mendes met with Sporting Director on Thursday, and head coach Hansi Flick made comments at a prematch press conference which seemed to question the left back’s commitment.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Trump, meanwhile, has suggested that alleged election integrity problems will be the culprit if Republicans lose.
    Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • One person in the audience counted seven bidders and guessed that anyone serious about winning would have been advised to go way, way above the estimate.
    Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Abdeen guessed that they were drawn to the familiar symbols that the Masons borrowed from what the French had dubbed the Orient, such as the tarboosh, a brimless and tasselled hat.
    Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • No one doubted his stuff, but there were times in April, May and June when Painter could not meet the moment.
    Matt Gelb, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • However, at the beginning, customers doubted whether the change in ownership would mean a change in dedication to the gluten-free food that made Mimmo’s a local legend.
    Elizabeth MacBride, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The presumed reasoning behind why the film was ignored is multilayered.
    Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • At the extreme upper end, the study found that a maximum possible prevalence of CTE — if researchers assumed that every former football player had CTE except for the 20 whose brains had definitively been cleared of a diagnosis — was around 97%.
    Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Taylor has quickly assumed a leadership role, with her coach using her as an example of expectations.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • He was initially detained and questioned then released from Bahamian custody in April.
    Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Several election officials and government advocates have questioned how quickly the Postal Service can stand up the systems necessary to ensure the rule can be followed for this election.
    Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Only one person in this friend group is knowingly connected to a violent cult, so are we supposed to view him as a potential suspect?
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The couple, who met at a laundromat on Parton’s first day in Nashville in 1964 and eloped two years later on May 30, 1966, were originally supposed to have a much bigger ceremony.
    Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Many of those thought to have been involved in Shakur’s fatal shooting have since died.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Kaleigh Theriault, beverage alcohol thought leader at NielsenIQ, told Food & Wine that the shift is already showing up in industry numbers.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Suspected.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspected. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!