Synonyms of suspicion

suspicion 1 of 2

noun

sə-ˈspi-shən 

1

as in doubt

a feeling or attitude that one does not know the truth, truthfulness, or trustworthiness of someone or something

all his promises were received with well-deserved suspicion

Synonyms & Similar Words

• doubt
• skepticism
• uncertainty
• distrust
• mistrust
• disbelief
• concern
• reservation
• misgiving
• dubiety
• query
• incertitude
• distrustfulness
• paranoia
• misdoubt
• dubitation
• incredulity
• mistrustfulness
• anxiety
• wariness
• unbelief
• qualm
• compunction
• tremor
• scruple
• niggle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• belief
• conviction
• trust
• confidence
• certainty
• assurance
• surety
• faith
• certitude
• sureness
• credence

2

as in hint

a very small amount

new parents who were alarmed by just a suspicion of a rash on their baby's chest

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hint
• glimmer
• shred
• sprinkling
• speck
• splash
• touch
• bit
• little
• trace
• spark
• tad
• particle
• scruple
• lick
• handful
• smell
• strain
• ray
• scintilla
• smidgen
• smack
• streak
• ounce
• dab
• shadow
• sliver
• spot
• spatter
• soupçon
• minimum
• crumb
• dram
• pinch
• peanuts
• fleck
• shade
• dash
• mite
• ace
• nip
• dose
• portion
• drop in the bucket
• grain
• driblet
• drop
• bite
• modicum
• semblance
• whit
• taste
• skosh
• part
• vestige
• iota
• snap
• molecule
• syllable
• atom
• section
• mote
• patch
• fragment
• smattering
• jot
• morsel
• scattering
• scrap
• minim
• shiver
• dot
• tittle
• nibble
• splinter
• hoot
• granule
• flake
• shard
• flyspeck
• smatter
• shaving
• chip
• paring
• tatter
• nubbin
• clipping
• shot
• smithereens

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• quantity
• mass
• wealth
• lot
• abundance
• deal
• pile
• plenty
• loads
• mountain
• mess
• profusion
• stack
• raft
• heaps
• bushel
• barrel
• bundle
• bucket
• volume
• reams
• excess
• embarrassment
• fistful
• peck
• wad
• surplus
• lashings
• boatload
• gobs
• overflow
• scads
• oodles
• much
• passel
• potful
• overabundance
• superfluity
• surfeit
• oversupply
• bonanza
• superabundance
• lump
• slab
• overage
• overkill
• chunk
• hunk
• overmuch

suspicion

2 of 2

verb

chiefly dialect

as in to guess

to form an opinion from little or no evidence

no one will ever suspicion that I'm the one who pulled the prank

Synonyms & Similar Words

• guess
• assume
• suspect
• suppose
• think
• presume
• speculate
• imagine
• surmise
• believe
• conjecture
• daresay
• infer
• conclude
• expect
• deduce
• gather
• hypothesize
• theorize
• reckon
• judge
• conceive
• hypothecate
• take

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prove
• establish
• demonstrate
• determine
• validate
• document
• find out
• ascertain
• learn
• substantiate

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun suspicion differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of suspicion are doubt, dubiety, mistrust, skepticism, and uncertainty. While all these words mean "lack of sureness about someone or something," suspicion stresses lack of faith in the truth, reality, fairness, or reliability of something or someone.

regarded the stranger with suspicion

When would doubt be a good substitute for suspicion?

The words doubt and suspicion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, doubt suggests both uncertainty and inability to make a decision.

plagued by doubts as to what to do

When is dubiety a more appropriate choice than suspicion?

Although the words dubiety and suspicion have much in common, dubiety stresses a wavering between conclusions.

felt some dubiety about its practicality

When is it sensible to use mistrust instead of suspicion?

The words mistrust and suspicion can be used in similar contexts, but mistrust implies a genuine doubt based upon suspicion.

had a great mistrust of doctors

When can skepticism be used instead of suspicion?

In some situations, the words skepticism and suspicion are roughly equivalent. However, skepticism implies unwillingness to believe without conclusive evidence.

an economic forecast greeted with skepticism

In what contexts can uncertainty take the place of suspicion?

The synonyms uncertainty and suspicion are sometimes interchangeable, but uncertainty may range from a falling short of certainty to an almost complete lack of conviction or knowledge especially about an outcome or result.

assumed the role of manager without hesitation or uncertainty

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of suspicion

Noun

Officers arrested Carlos Zarco, 50, on suspicion of second-degree murder, the Aurora Police Department said in a news release. —Katie Langford, Denver Post, 19 June 2026

No reason was given for the decision to shut down the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), but suspicion immediately focused on the network’s role in tracking climate change. —John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 18 June 2026

In her speech, Michelle Obama alluded to the current president, who has long fueled a debunked conspiracy theory about Barack Obama's birthplace and continues to refer to him as Barack Hussein Obama, his middle name a suggestion of suspicion. —Susan Page, USA Today, 18 June 2026

Other tenants in the building had their own suspicions that the landlord was up to something. —Olivia Bensimon, Curbed, 17 June 2026