alleged

American  

[uh-lejd, uh-lej-id] / əˈlɛdʒd, əˈlɛdʒ ɪd /

adjective

1. declared or stated to be as described; asserted.

   The alleged murderer could not be located for questioning.

2. doubtful; suspect; supposed.

   The alleged cure-all produced no results when it was tested by reputable doctors.

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alleged British  

/ əˈlɛdʒd /

adjective

1. stated or described to be such; presumed

   the alleged murderer

2. dubious

   an alleged miracle

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Usage

What does alleged mean? Alleged is an adjective that’s used to describe things that have been claimed. It’s most often used to describe an action or situation, especially a wrongdoing or crime, that someone claims happened but that has not been confirmed or proven.Alleged can also be used as the past tense of the verb allege, meaning to claim without proof or before proof is available. Such an accusation is called an allegation. The adverb form of alleged is allegedly.As an adjective, alleged can be correctly pronounced either uh-LEJD or uh-LEJ-id. When it’s used as a verb, it’s always pronounced uh-LEJD.Alleged is most commonly used in a legal context and in journalism in reports about crime or other wrongdoing before it has been proven or before someone has been convicted. Using the word alleged allows journalists to talk about allegations without seeming to presume guilt (and getting sued for libel).Sometimes, alleged is used to mean doubtful or supposed in a way that’s intended to indicate skepticism about something, as in The alleged genius can’t even run a small company.   Example: The alleged crime took place when my client was half a state away.

Other Word Forms

• unalleged adjective

Etymology

Origin of alleged

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; allege + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Venezuela, drug trafficking, oil, security and US strikes on alleged drug vessels will be high on the agenda when they meet at the White House on Tuesday.

From BBC

The mother of Stephen Lawrence has said she feels like "a victim all over again" after she learned about the alleged hacking of her phone by the Daily Mail, a court has heard.

From BBC

It had alleged that two MSF employees had links with Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which the medical charity vehemently denies.

From Barron's

Last year, Charles looked to remove his younger brother from public life and distance the monarchy from his alleged actions.

From The Wall Street Journal

“When a victim’s name is alleged to be unredacted, our team is working around the clock to fix the issue and republish appropriately redacted pages as soon as possible,” the spokeswoman told the Journal.

From Salon

Related Words

• purported
• so-called
• stated
• supposed