suspect
verb (used with object)
to believe to be guilty, false, counterfeit, undesirable, defective, bad, etc., with little or no proof.
suspected
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past participleof suspect.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof suspect.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
suspectverb (used with object)to believe to be guilty, false, counterfeit, undesirable, defective, bad, etc., with little or no proof.
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.
Campbell had suspected Low of "planting" items which were allegedly found during a raid on his then-home on the estate after alleged bird poisonings.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
"We suspected that the bacteria had incorporated the uranium in their cell walls. We already knew about accumulation processes from the literature."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
Investigators uncovered suspected fraud across other state programs, including autism services, housing aid and Medicaid.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The officers failed to class Carmenza's death as a murder and did not pass it to a homicide team for a fuller investigation, as happens with suspected homicides.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
“Pretty tough to be a Cat Person living here so close to Dog Street,” Max said, and I suspected that might be true for any number of people.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
