allege

[ uh-lej ]

verb (used with object)

, al·leged, al·leg·ing.

1. to assert without proof.
2. to declare with positiveness; affirm; assert:

   to allege a fact.

   Synonyms: aver, asseverate, state

   Antonyms: deny

3. to declare before a court or elsewhere, as if under oath.

   Synonyms: attest

4. to plead in support of; offer as a reason or excuse.
5. Archaic. to cite or quote in confirmation.

allege

/ əˈlɛdʒ /

verb

1. to declare in or as if in a court of law; state without or before proof

   he alleged malpractice

2. to put forward (an argument or plea) for or against an accusation, claim, etc
3. archaic.
   to cite or quote, as to confirm

Other Words From

• al·legea·ble adjective
• al·leger noun
• misal·lege verb (used with object) misalleged misalleging
• preal·lege verb (used with object) prealleged prealleging
• real·lege verb (used with object) realleged realleging

Word History and Origins

Origin of allege¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English alleg(g)en, probably from Old French aleguer, from Medieval Latin, Latin allēgāre “to adduce in support of a plea” ( allegation ), conflated with Anglo-French, Old French aleg(i)er, “to justify, free,” literally, “to lighten,” from Late Latin alleviāre “to lighten, relieve” ( alleviate ); homonymous Middle English verb alleg(g)en, with literal sense of Old French aleg(i)er, replaced by allay in 16th century

Word History and Origins

Origin of allege¹

C14 aleggen, ultimately from Latin allēgāre to dispatch on a mission, from lēx law

Synonym Study

See maintain.

Example Sentences

He then lifted her up and started dangling her from the balcony of the unit, the lawsuit alleges.

From BBC

More than 300 people have been arrested since mass protests erupted in Georgia six nights ago, and an increasing number of accounts have emerged alleging violent attacks by police.

From BBC

But, four months after its founder Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris for Telegram's alleged failure to moderate extreme content, the platform has announced a U-turn.

From BBC

And the New York hush-money case was just one of multiple prosecutions of the former president, several of which dealt with much more serious and recent alleged crimes.

From BBC

Police alleged that Cole set a bush on fire next to a home in Fountain Valley’s Arches Court neighborhood after dousing it with lighter fluid.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• charge
• cite
• declare
• depose
• maintain
• recount
• testify

More About Allege

What does allege mean?

To allege is to make an accusation or claim, especially about a crime or wrongdoing. 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.

Forms of allege include the adjective alleged, the adverb allegedly, and the noun allegation (meaning an accusation or claim).

Allege 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).

Example: Investigators are alleging that Mr. Jones stole from the company over a period of 15 years.

Where does allege come from?

The first records of allege come from around 1300. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb allēgāre, meaning “to dispatch on a mission” or “bring forward as evidence.” The leg part of allege comes from the root lēx-, which means “law” and forms the basis of words like legal.

Allege is almost always used in a legal context. It’s typically used when making an accusation that has yet to be proved in a court of law. In many jurisdictions, the law states that a person is innocent until proven guilty. That means that if someone is accused of committing a crime—even if the whole thing was caught on video—they’re not considered guilty until they’re convicted by a jury. Until that happens, journalists use the word allege to refer to claims about what has supposedly been done.

Allege is most often used to refer to an action done by a person, as in Police allege that the theft occurred overnight or My client alleges that the defendant attacked him. But like the word claim, it can also be used with things, such as documents, as in The lawsuit alleges a long history of abuse or The charges allege that the theft occurred overnight.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to allege?

• alleged (adjective)
• allegedly (adjective)
• allegation (noun)

What are some synonyms for allege?

• claim
• purport

What are some words that share a root or word element with allege? 

• legal
• legitimate

What are some words that often get used in discussing allege?

• commit
• accuse
• accusation
• perpetrator
• supposed
• crime
• evidence
• proof
• convicted

How is allege used in real life?

Allege is most commonly used in journalism in reports about crimes.

This morning a black mother and her son who live in Creve Coeur filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Des Peres alleging police brutality over an incident at Sam’s Club on March 23. There is video of the event.

— Tony Messenger (@tonymess) May 18, 2020

"The charges allege that as many as 90 guns purchased through https://t.co/t25KAqmKZi wound up on the streets of Chicago, including one that was recovered during an armed carjacking and others found during narcotics and gang investigations." https://t.co/fXLUH0md82

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) May 15, 2018

Non-AJ defendants have repeatedly alleged torture in custody. Judge tells court that medical examinations show no signs of torture. #AJtrial

— Louisa Loveluck (@leloveluck) March 31, 2014

 

 

Try using allege!

Which of the following words is LEAST likely to be used to describe something that is alleged to have happened?

A. purported
B. definite
C. possible
D. claimed