allegation

[al-i-gey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of alleging; affirmation.

   Synonyms: contention, claim, accusation, charge

2. an assertion made with little or no proof.

   Synonyms: contention, claim, accusation, charge

3. an assertion made by a party in a legal proceeding, which the party then undertakes to prove.

4. a statement offered as a plea, excuse, or justification.

allegation

/ ˌælɪˈɡeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of alleging

2. an unproved statement or assertion, esp one in an accusation

Other Word Forms

• misallegation noun
• nonallegation noun
• preallegation noun
• reallegation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of allegation¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin allēgātiōn- (stem of allēgātiō ), equivalent to allēgāt ( us ), past participle of allēgāre to adduce in support of a plea ( al- al- + -lēgāre, derivative of lēx law; legal ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Nigeria's Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Uche Nnaji has resigned just days after allegations emerged that he had forged his academic credentials.

From BBC

The motion passed Tuesday directs county lawyers to enlist law enforcement “as necessary” and consider referring the allegations in The Times’ reporting to the State Bar.

From Los Angeles Times

The allegations of bias are denied by those instructors who include lessons about the conflict in their syllabus.

From Los Angeles Times

Almost 4,000 people have signed up to the lawsuit against major poultry producers and a water company over allegations of "extensive and widespread pollution" in three rivers - the Wye, Lugg and Usk.

From BBC

Charges against Christopher Cash, 30, and Christopher Berry, 33 - who both deny the allegations - were dropped by prosecutors in September, prompting criticism from ministers and MPs.

From BBC

Related Words

• accusation 
• charge 
• claim 
• plea 
• statement 

When To Use

What does allegation mean?

An allegation is an accusation or claim that something wrong has been done, especially a crime. The word often implies that the thing claimed has not been confirmed or proven or that the claim has been made without proof or before proof is available.Allegation is the noun form of the verb allege, meaning to claim without proof or before proof is available. Related forms include the adjective alleged and the adverb allegedly.The word allegation is most commonly used in a legal context, especially in journalism in reports about a person who has been accused of a crime or other wrongdoing but who has not been convicted. Using the word allegation allows journalists to talk about accusations without seeming to presume guilt (and getting sued for libel).Example: We will prove that the allegations against my client are absolutely baseless.