allegedly

[ uh-lej-id-lee ]

adverb

1. according to what is or has been alleged. alleged.

allegedly

/ əˈlɛdʒɪdlɪ /

adverb

1. reportedly; supposedly

   payments allegedly made to a former colleague

2. sentence modifier it is alleged that

interjection

1. an exclamation expressing disbelief or scepticism

Usage

In recent years it has become common for speakers to include allegedly in statements that are controversial or possibly even defamatory. The implication is that, by saying allegedly , the speaker is distancing himself or herself from the controversy and even protecting himself or herself from possible prosecution. However, the effect created may be deliberate. The use of allegedly can be a signal that, although the statement may seem outrageous, it is in fact true: He was drunk at work. Allegedly. Conversely, it is also possible to use allegedly as an expression of ironic scepticism: He's a hard worker. Allegedly

Other Words From

• unal·leged·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of allegedly¹

First recorded in 1870–75; alleged + -ly

Example Sentences

Adefeso recently took to Instagram Live, explaining why he broke up with Tamar after she allegedly hit him.

From Essence.com

He also allegedly asked prosecutors to explore whether the mayor of Seattle might be prosecuted for allowing the creation of a small autonomous protest zone this year.

From Washington Post

The ad starts with a voice, allegedly of a steelworker, lamenting the decline of the steel industry in the United States.

From Washington Post

Janczewski was most recently the lead investigator in a case to trace and seize $250 million in cryptocurrency from an unprecedented streak of multimillion-dollar hacks allegedly carried out by the North Korean hacking team known as Lazarus Group.

From MIT Technology Review

These individuals allegedly maintained a robust network for disseminating disinformation about political rivals and journalists.

From MIT Technology Review

In 2011 LGBT media outlet Queerty took the app to task for allegedly deleting accounts that made reference to being trans.

From The Daily Beast

About how much did the group allegedly steal from Mosul banks?

From The Daily Beast

After he allegedly unloaded on the cops, Brinsley attempted to make a getaway to a nearby subway.

From The Daily Beast

The victim, whom The Daily Beast is not naming, asked what Williams wanted and the pastor allegedly “reached in and grabbed him.”

From The Daily Beast

Livvix allegedly arrived in Israel a short time after he jumped bail on drug charges.

From The Daily Beast

I guess youve all heard the story of how their lawn was allegedly sprinkled with some chemical which made the grass run wild.

From Project Gutenberg

I have the coat, shirt, tie, and the bandages and support belt which he allegedly was wearing that day.

From Project Gutenberg

By this time Britain was beginning to apply the other allegedly oppressive measures which preceded the Revolution.

From Project Gutenberg

This enlarges the area on the rifle just below what is allegedly Oswald's left hand.

From Project Gutenberg

Some of the reports that she has received concern light objects seen at night which have allegedly been followed by explosions.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• purportedly
• supposedly

More About Allegedly

What does allegedly mean?

Allegedly means according to what has been claimed. It’s used to describe an action or situation that someone claims happened but that has not been confirmed or proven, especially a crime.

Allegedly is the adverb form of the adjective alleged, which itself comes from the past tense of the verb allege, meaning to claim without proof or before proof is available. Such an accusation is called an allegation.

Allegedly is most commonly used in a legal context, especially in journalism in reports about a person who has been accused of a crime or other wrongdoing but who has not been convicted. Using the word allegedly allows journalists to talk about allegations without seeming to presume guilt (and getting sued for libel).

Example: Mr. Jones allegedly stole from his company over a period of 15 years.

Where does allegedly come gtom?

The first records of the word allegedly come from the 1800s. Its base word, allege, is recorded around 1300 and ultimately comes from the Latin verb allēgāre, meaning “to dispatch on a mission” or “bring forward as evidence.” The leg part of allege and allegedly comes from the root lēx-, which means “law” and forms the basis of words like legal.

Allegedly 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 allegedly to qualify descriptions about what the person has supposedly done.

It can be used to start a sentence, as in Allegedly, she crashed the award ceremony. It can be used within a sentence immediately preceding the alleged action, as in It was then that she allegedly began dancing on the table, or immediately following it, as in She then grabbed the tablecloth, allegedly, out from under the dishes, which stayed on the table. It can also be used as a kind of a one-word tag after a sentence, as in The dancing was actually very good. Allegedly.

Sometimes, allegedly is used in this way ironically, to humorously imply skepticism about what has been said, as in He’s very honest. Allegedly.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to allegedly?

• allege (verb)
• alleged (adjective)
• allegation (noun)
• unallegedly (adverb)

What are some synonyms for allegedly?

• purportedly

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

• legal
• legitimate

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

• commit
• claim
• accused
• accusation
• perpetrator
• apparently
• supposedly
• crime
• evidence
• proof
• convicted

How is allegedly used in real life?

Allegedly is most commonly used in journalism in reports about crimes. It’s sometimes used in a humorous way that’s supposed to mimic its journalistic use.

The European Commission has launched legal proceedings against the UK for allegedly violating EU law on free movement dating back to 2014 -« limiting the rights of first time job seekers and family members. Also imposing unjustified lifetime bans on re-entry to the country » /1

— Katya Adler (@BBCkatyaadler) May 14, 2020

It's worrisome that the company that makes the most influential artificial intelligence products in the world is allegedly scaling back on its efforts to ensure a diverse and inclusive workforce, considering what we know about AI bias. https://t.co/COSHFT0k75

— april glaser (@aprilaser) May 14, 2020

journalism professor: i can't change your grade. you got a 48 on your final exam

me: …allegedly

journalism professor: wow you're good nvm you get an A

— phil (@PhilJamesson) October 22, 2019

 

 

Try using allegedly!

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

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