suspect
verb (used with object)
to believe to be guilty, false, counterfeit, undesirable, defective, bad, etc., with little or no proof.
suspected
-
past participleof suspect.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof suspect.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
suspectverb (used with object)to believe to be guilty, false, counterfeit, undesirable, defective, bad, etc., with little or no proof.
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.
Percentage of reports the Treasury Department received flagging transactions tied to suspected human trafficking were filed by money-services businesses, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said in an alert published Thursday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
There was also a national measles epidemic between 1989 and 1991, which, according to a study published by the CDC, led to 166 suspected measles deaths and more than 11,000 hospitalizations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Scientists had suspected this mechanism for years, but the research was the first to demonstrate it using a modern, complex climate model.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
A man in Indiana recently told local news he found out through a public records request that police had set a Flock alert, external for his vehicle, despite not being suspected of any wrongdoing.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The only interruptions in the walls were a bright fireplace glowing on one end and a long bookcase filled with identical leather-bound volumes, which she suspected were an illusion, too.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
