alleged
Americanadjective
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declared or stated to be as described; asserted.
The alleged murderer could not be located for questioning.
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doubtful; suspect; supposed.
The alleged cure-all produced no results when it was tested by reputable doctors.
adjective
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stated or described to be such; presumed
the alleged murderer
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dubious
an alleged miracle
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
Etymology
Origin of alleged
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; allege + -ed 2
Explanation
A claim or statement that is alleged hasn't been proven true — if you're an alleged murderer, you've been accused but not convicted. When a fact is alleged, there is doubt about its accuracy. The word alleged is often used in connection with court cases, because the accused is innocent until proven guilty: an alleged robber is a suspected robber but has not been proven guilty of robbery. Journalists often use alleged in news stories when someone’s guilt is suspected but not confirmed. Sometimes alleged means doubtful or dubious, as in "Who is this alleged expert?"
Vocabulary lists containing alleged
ASVAB Word Knowledge
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Twelve Angry Men
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 26–31
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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.
Posts about the alleged sightings have attracted hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
The White House had alleged "discriminatory treatment" by Canada against US alcohol, automobile and dairy products in introducing the duties.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
He alleged that his stepmother, Queen Camilla, leaked stories about him to improve her image.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
The case against Rocha Moya and his alleged confederates sent shock waves through the country’s political and law enforcement establishments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
"And what alleged process of thought led to that brilliant pronouncement?"
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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.
