allegation
Americannoun
-
allegations
plural
-
the act of alleging; affirmation.
- Synonyms:
- contention, claim, accusation, charge
-
an assertion made with little or no proof.
- Synonyms:
- contention, claim, accusation, charge
-
an assertion made by a party in a legal proceeding, which the party then undertakes to prove.
-
a statement offered as a plea, excuse, or justification.
noun
-
the act of alleging
-
an unproved statement or assertion, esp one in an accusation
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of allegation
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; see legal) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
An allegation is an accusation, which is sometimes true and sometimes not. If you say your sister stole a candy bar but you don't have any proof that she did it, you have made an allegation. In the legal system, an allegation is a formal claim against someone. It sparks an investigation that leads to someone being proven innocent or found guilty. In everyday use, however, an allegation is what someone thinks, whether or not there is proof. For example, if someone makes an allegation that you're a terrible driver, they might base it on their own experience, but they won't be able to prove it.
Vocabulary lists containing allegation
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: September 14–20, 2019
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Nelson Mandela "I am Prepared to Die" (1964)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice is being investigated by the parliamentary standards watchdog over an allegation he failed to declare an interest.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
"No court, no agency has ever substantiated any allegation of abuse against me," Miller said in a video posted Sunday, insisting he would remain in the race and win.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
He said that the five defendants had denied almost every allegation against them from the outset.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Paramount hasn’t made such an allegation in court.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
In fact, nationwide, most women on death row are awaiting execution for a family crime involving an allegation of child abuse or domestic violence involving a male partner.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Arday - who became the university's youngest black professor when appointed in 2023 - had faced weeks of media coverage over plagiarism allegations and questions about his achievements.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The protests have focused on allegations of cheating and corruption in the fiercely competitive exams for government jobs and university places that are a key pathway for upward mobility in India.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Arday, 41, resigned as a Cambridge professor of sociology of education last week after allegations of plagiarism and questions about some of his achievements.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
The allegations included that multiple sections of Arday's doctoral dissertation were copied from other works.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
These allegations embarrassed the government, and to combat them they brought in a string of outsiders meant to rebut these critical stories.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
