as in suspicious
inclined to doubt or question claims
suspecting dieters probably wouldn't fall for a weight-loss plan that claims you can eat as much as you want
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in guessing
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 doubting
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
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Recent Examples of suspecting
Judith Martin, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
Surely seventh-graders are capable of understanding that people need to get along with one another, rather than living in a constant state of alarm, suspecting that others mean us harm.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Fans have been suspecting that a Pussycat Dolls reunion was imminent as early as December, when rumors circulated on social media that the group had signed with CAA.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
That’s partly because girls are less frequently diagnosed with ADHD than boys are, so many adult women live their whole life with the disorder without ever suspecting it.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
Later, Zapata had her killed, suspecting her of being the mole.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
By episode five, Michael had moved on from suspecting Yam Yam to suspecting Colton, who was a ringleader in the previous episode’s banishment of Big Brother fan favorite Tiffany Mitchell.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Coupled with the sight of her parents moving Christmas presents, blankets and their dog into the family car, Goodnight and her younger brother began suspecting the worst.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 23 Dec. 2025
Officials said the rest of the group exited the water shortly afterward, suspecting there had been a shark attack in their group.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
Surely seventh graders are capable of understanding that people need to get along with one another, rather than living in a constant state of alarm, suspecting that others mean us harm.
—Judith Martin, Dallas Morning News, 30 Mar. 2026
Surely seventh-graders are capable of understanding that people need to get along with one another, rather than living in a constant state of alarm, suspecting that others mean us harm.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Fans have been suspecting that a Pussycat Dolls reunion was imminent as early as December, when rumors circulated on social media that the group had signed with CAA.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
That’s partly because girls are less frequently diagnosed with ADHD than boys are, so many adult women live their whole life with the disorder without ever suspecting it.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
Later, Zapata had her killed, suspecting her of being the mole.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
By episode five, Michael had moved on from suspecting Yam Yam to suspecting Colton, who was a ringleader in the previous episode’s banishment of Big Brother fan favorite Tiffany Mitchell.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Coupled with the sight of her parents moving Christmas presents, blankets and their dog into the family car, Goodnight and her younger brother began suspecting the worst.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 23 Dec. 2025
Officials said the rest of the group exited the water shortly afterward, suspecting there had been a shark attack in their group.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suspecting
Adjective
-
Finding the behavior suspicious, police said the officers activated their overhead lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Never click on suspicious links Some scams prompt you to click on a link that takes you to a fake website to gather your personal information or unintentionally download malware onto your computer.—
Jasmin Suknanan,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This involved looking around the restaurant and guessing the names of some of the patrons.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The playful breed-guessing challenge has captivated dog lovers, highlighting how diverse mixed-breed dogs can be—and how much personality can hint at ancestry.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Diaz-Balart of Miami is among the Republicans now doubting redistricting is wise.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
-
That’s despite a majority of Americans doubting his handling of trade policy, according to new Pew Research Center data.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Scheiber is skeptical of forecasts projecting mass white-collar displacement in 18 months.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Putin announced a temporary Easter ceasefire, but Ukraine remains skeptical after previous attempts to broker lasting truces have repeatedly failed with both sides trading accusations.—
Volodymyr Yurchuk,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But rather that sometimes, particularly with adult-child conflicts, the adult has to be very intentional about trying their best and assuming the best of the child.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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The team went into filming Company Retreat assuming the process would be easier than season one.—
Angelina Mazza,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The individual is awaiting questioning by Ontario Police Department detectives who are en route.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The Microsoft co-founder is scheduled for questioning on June 10, the source said.—
Graham Kates,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Ebus added that interest in Venezuela is already dividing potential investors, with smaller risk-taking firms eager to enter while major companies remain cautious.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, and be especially cautious on hills or when making turns.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Even supposing the pledges in the 1990s documents amounted to a crime, the legal deadline for bringing mortgage fraud charges has expired.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Suspecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suspecting. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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