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.
They are now facing a total of 59 charges relating to alleged offences between July 2010 and August 2017.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
It agreed to buy back any unsold equipment from those distributors, but improperly recognized the sales to distributors as revenue, the SEC alleged.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Asante said they "looked at the alleged victim before walking off".
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
“Not only did Paramount leak the alleged substance of the settlement discussions, but they misrepresented these discussions, demonstrating a lack of good faith,” Bonta said on Monday, noting: “I have pulled down this meeting.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
I'd been waiting patiently for something to happen, and it wasn't fair for them to herd me away just to make room for some alleged fire truck or ambulance.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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.
