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
- unalleged adjective
Etymology
Origin of alleged
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; allege + -ed 2
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.
Williams is also alleged to have behaved inappropriately during a residential trip in March 2024.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
The Ethics Committee had found Cherfilus-McCormick responsible for 25 violations, citing the scale and persistence of the alleged conduct.
From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026
But getting such a deal done can be hard and fractious among the thousands of alleged victims who have to decide if the settlement offers fair compensation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
The end of Chavez-DeRemer’s tenure comes amid an ongoing probe into her department’s use of government resources and other alleged misconduct.
From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026
He, an alleged psychologist, noticed not one of the Ten Warning Signs of Nervous Collapse or whatever it was that he was educated to see, and qualified to teach.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
