allegedly
Americanadverb
adverb
-
reportedly; supposedly
payments allegedly made to a former colleague
-
(sentence modifier) it is alleged that
interjection
Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
- unallegedly adverb
Etymology
Origin of allegedly
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.
Several of the people who were listed as terminally ill beneficiaries for the claims allegedly had common addresses.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
The couple are wanted over offences allegedly committed in Spain.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
Frederick D’Sa, an 83-year-old retired Indian army colonel, said the Mumbai policewoman who he thought arrested him last October over WhatsApp for allegedly funding terrorists was entirely believable.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
The operation, allegedly orchestrated by Beijing's state security ministry, targeted dozens of employees at the military alliance or EU organisations through fictitious accounts, the source said, confirming reports in French and Belgian media.
From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026
In the Middle Ages, this mysterious group of stones was believed to be either the creation of an ancient race of giants or conjured by Merlin the Magician, who allegedly transplanted it from Ireland.
From "The Annotated Mona Lisa" by Carol Strickland and John Boswell
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.
