Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense suspects, present participle suspecting, past tense, past participle suspectedpronunciation note: The verb is pronounced (səspekt). The noun and adjective are pronounced (sʌspekt).
1. verb
You use suspect when you are stating something that you believe is probably true, in order to make it sound less strong or direct.
[vagueness]
I suspect they were right. [VERB that]
The above complaints are, I suspect, just the tip of the iceberg. [VERB that]
Do women really share such stupid jokes? We suspect not. [Vnot/so]
Synonyms: believe, feel, guess, consider More Synonyms of suspect
2. verb
If you suspect that something dishonest or unpleasant has been done, you believe that it has probably been done. If you suspect someone of doing an action of this kind, you believe that they probably did it.
He suspected that the woman staying in the flat above was using heroin. [VERB that]
Police said they suspected that Sobhraj had accomplices. [VERB that]
It was perfectly all right, he said, because the police had not suspected him ofanything. [VERB noun + of]
You don't really think Webb suspects you? [VERB noun]
Frears was rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack. [VERB-ed]
[Also VERB wh]
Synonyms: distrust, doubt, mistrust, smell a rat [informal] More Synonyms of suspect
3. countable noun
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime.
Police have arrested a suspect in a series of killings and sexual assaults in thecity.
Synonyms: accused, defendant, suspected person More Synonyms of suspect
4. adjective
Suspect things or people are ones that you think may be dangerous or may be less good or genuine than they appear.
Delegates evacuated the building when a suspect package was found.
The firm has taken out adverts urging customers to return suspect products.
The whole affair has been highly suspect.
Synonyms: dubious, doubtful, dodgy [British, Australian, New Zealand, informal], questionable More Synonyms of suspect
suspect in British English
verb (səˈspɛkt)
1. (transitive)
to believe guilty of a specified offence without proof
2. (transitive)
to think false, questionable, etc
she suspected his sincerity
3. (tr; may take a clause as object)
to surmise to be the case; think probable
to suspect fraud
4. (intransitive)
to have suspicion
noun (ˈsʌspɛkt)
5.
a person who is under suspicion
adjective (ˈsʌspɛkt)
6.
causing or open to suspicion
Derived forms
suspecter (susˈpecter)
noun
suspectless (ˈsuspectless)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Latin suspicere to mistrust, from sub- + specere to look
suspect in American English
(səˈspɛkt; for adj. usually, & for n. always, ˈsʌsˌpɛkt)
verb transitive
1.
to believe (someone) to be guilty of something specified, on little or no evidence
2.
to believe to be bad, wrong, harmful, questionable, etc.; distrust
3.
to think it probable or likely; guess; surmise; suppose
verb intransitive
4.
to be suspicious; have suspicion
adjective
5.
viewed with suspicion; suspected
noun
6.
a person who is suspected, esp. one suspected of a crime, etc.
Word origin
LME suspecten < L suspectus, pp. of suspicere, to look under, look up to, admire, also to mistrust < sus- (see sub-), under + spicere, to look (see spy)
COBUILD Collocations
suspect
arrest a suspect
detain a suspect
murder suspect
prime suspect
terror suspect
terrorist suspect
the usual suspects
Examples of 'suspect' in a sentence
suspect
Two of the other men were killed and one is suspected dead.
The Sun (2009)
Police suspect it may be a publicity stunt.
The Sun (2015)
The suspects will appear in court today.
The Sun (2016)
People will always suspect the worst of you.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They suspect it may have tangled with a helmet camera she was wearing.
The Sun (2010)
Suspect packages addressed to him were stopped at sorting offices.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This illness is suspected to be highly contagious norovirus.
The Sun (2012)
To protect the human rights of terror suspects.
The Sun (2008)
He threw the phone at her and said he had suspected something but now he knew.
The Sun (2009)
Your wife probably suspects something and this will destroy her confidence.
The Sun (2008)
The case raises doubts over the use of powers to pursue the suspected proceeds of crime.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
These programmes have powerful support from people beyond the usual suspects.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
One suspects he might have found it a bit lacking in physical effort.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Police do not suspect a murder attempt by a rival.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The suspect appeared to grin as he was led from a prison van into the court building.
The Sun (2011)
Our anger should not be directed at the police or all suspects but at those men who committed the atrocities.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
No one suspects anything because he has his own room and we act like a normal aunt and nephew when others are around.
The Sun (2012)
The scandal means nearly 1,500 potentially dangerous suspects are put back on the streets each week.
The Sun (2008)
New Yorkers have been told what they had long suspected but did not particularly want to know.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Watch out for the suspect actions of so-called friends.
The Sun (2015)
Had he only done it once, no one would have suspected anything.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Yet it's one of those series you suspect will be more fun outside the central love triangle.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A young murder suspect treats him with contempt.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
A suspect in a murder investigation claims to be psychic.
The Sun (2006)
In other languages
suspect
British English: suspect /ˈsʌspɛkt/ NOUN
A suspect is a person who the police think may be guilty of a crime.
Police have arrested a suspect.
American English: suspect
Arabic: مُشْتَبَهٌ بِهِ
Brazilian Portuguese: suspeito
Chinese: 嫌疑犯
Croatian: osumnjičeni
Czech: podezřelý
Danish: mistænkt
Dutch: verdachte
European Spanish: sospechoso
Finnish: epäilty
French: suspect
German: Verdächtiger
Greek: ύποπτος
Italian: sospetto
Japanese: 容疑者
Korean: 용의자
Norwegian: mistenkt
Polish: podejrzany
European Portuguese: suspeito
Romanian: suspect
Russian: подозреваемый
Latin American Spanish: sospechoso
Swedish: misstänkt
Thai: ผู้ต้องสงสัย
Turkish: zanlı
Ukrainian: підозрюваний
Vietnamese: người bị tình nghi
British English: suspect /səˈspɛkt/ VERB
If you say that you suspect that something is true, you mean that you believe it is probably true, but you want to make it sound less strong or direct.
I suspect they were right.
American English: suspect
Arabic: يَشْتَبِهُ بِ
Brazilian Portuguese: suspeitar
Chinese: 怀疑
Croatian: sumnjati
Czech: domnívat se
Danish: have mistanke om
Dutch: vermoeden
European Spanish: sospechar
Finnish: epäillä rikoksesta tms.
French: soupçonner
German: verdächtigen
Greek: υποπτεύομαι
Italian: sospettare
Japanese: 疑いをかける
Korean: 의심하다
Norwegian: mistenke
Polish: podejrzewać
European Portuguese: suspeitar
Romanian: a suspecta
Russian: подозревать
Latin American Spanish: sospechar
Swedish: misstänka
Thai: สงสัย
Turkish: kuşkulanmak
Ukrainian: підозрювати
Vietnamese: nghi ngờ
British English: suspect ADJECTIVE
Suspect things or people are ones that you think may be dangerous or may be less good or genuine than they appear.
Delegates evacuated the building when a suspect package was found.
American English: suspect
Brazilian Portuguese: suspeito
Chinese: 可疑的
European Spanish: sospechoso
French: suspect
German: verdächtig
Italian: sospetto
Japanese: 疑わしい
Korean: 의심스러운
European Portuguese: suspeito
Latin American Spanish: sospechoso
All related terms of 'suspect'
prime suspect
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime .
suspect fraud
Fraud is the crime of gaining money or financial benefits by a trick or by lying.
murder suspect
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime .
terror suspect
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime.
terrorist suspect
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime.
arrest a suspect
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime .
detain a suspect
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime .
Chinese translation of 'suspect'
suspect
(adjnnˈsʌspɛkt; vbsəsˈpɛkt)
adj
可疑的 (kěyí de)
n(c)
(in crime) 嫌疑犯 (xiányífàn) (个(個), gè)
vt
[person]怀(懷)疑 (huáiyí)
[sb's motives]质(質)疑 (zhìyí)
(= think) 猜想 (cāixiǎng)
to suspect sb of doing sth怀(懷)疑某人做某事 (huáiyí mǒurén zuò mǒushì)
to suspect that ... 怀(懷)疑 ... (huáiyí ... )
1 (verb)
Definition
to believe (something) to be the case
I suspect they were right.
Synonyms
believe
I believe you have something of mine.
feel
She felt something was nearby.
guess
I can only guess what it cost her to tell you the truth.
consider
I had always considered myself a strong, competent woman.
suppose
Where do you suppose he's got to?
conclude
We concluded that he was telling the truth.
fancy
She fancied he was trying to hide a smile.
speculate
The reader can speculate about what will happen next.
conjecture
This may or may not be true; we are all conjecturing here.
surmise
She surmised that they had discovered one of the illegal streets.
hazard a guess
I would hazard a guess that they'll do fairly well.
have a sneaking suspicion
think probable
Opposites
be certain
,
be confident of
,
know
,
buy (slang)
,
accept
,
swallow (informal)
2 (verb)
Definition
to think (something) to be false or doubtful
You don't really think he suspects you, do you?
Synonyms
distrust
I don't have any reason to distrust them.
doubt
I have no reason to doubt his word.
mistrust
I mistrust all journalists.
smell a rat (informal)
harbour suspicions about
have your doubts about
Opposites
trust
,
have faith in
,
think innocent
(noun)
Definition
a person who is believed guilty of a specified offence
Police have arrested a suspect in a series of killings in the city.
Synonyms
accused
defendant
Charges against the defendant were dismissed.
suspected person
(adjective)
Definition
not to be trusted or relied upon
Delegates evacuated the building when a suspect package was found.
Synonyms
dubious
dubious business dealings
doubtful
They all seemed of very doubtful character.
dodgy (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal)
questionable
The film is a comedy in highly questionable taste.
fishy (informal)
There seems to be something fishy going on.
iffy (informal)
open to suspicion
shonky (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
Opposites
innocent
,
above suspicion
Additional synonyms
in the sense of conclude
Definition
to decide by reasoning
We concluded that he was telling the truth.
Synonyms
decide,
judge,
establish,
suppose,
determine,
assume,
gather,
reckon (informal),
work out,
infer,
deduce,
surmise
in the sense of conjecture
Definition
to form (an opinion or conclusion) from incomplete evidence
This may or may not be true; we are all conjecturing here.
Synonyms
guess,
speculate,
surmise,
theorize,
suppose,
imagine,
assume,
fancy,
infer,
hypothesize,
suspect
in the sense of consider
Definition
to be of the opinion that
I had always considered myself a strong, competent woman.
Synonyms
think,
see,
believe,
rate,
judge,
suppose,
deem,
view as,
look upon,
regard as,
hold to be,
adjudge
Synonyms of 'suspect'
suspect
Explore 'suspect' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of defendant
Definition
a person accused of a crime
Charges against the defendant were dismissed.
Synonyms
accused,
respondent,
appellant,
litigant,
prisoner at the bar
in the sense of doubt
Definition
to distrust or be suspicious of
I have no reason to doubt his word.
Synonyms
disbelieve,
question,
challenge,
suspect,
dispute,
query,
distrust,
mistrust,
cast doubt on,
have doubts about,
lack confidence in,
have misgivings about,
misgive
in the sense of doubtful
They all seemed of very doubtful character.
Synonyms
questionable,
suspect,
suspicious,
crooked (informal),
dubious,
dodgy (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal),
slippery,
shady (informal),
unscrupulous,
fishy (informal),
shifty,
disreputable,
untrustworthy,
shonky (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
in the sense of fancy
Definition
to think or suppose
She fancied he was trying to hide a smile.
Synonyms
suppose,
think,
believe,
imagine,
guess (informal),
reckon,
conceive,
infer,
conjecture,
surmise,
think likely,
be inclined to think
in the sense of feel
She felt something was nearby.
Synonyms
perceive,
sense,
detect,
discern,
know,
experience,
notice,
observe
in the sense of fishy
Definition
suspicious or questionable
There seems to be something fishy going on.
Synonyms
suspicious,
odd,
suspect,
unlikely,
funny (informal),
doubtful,
dubious,
dodgy (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal),
queer,
rum (British, slang),
questionable,
improbable,
implausible,
cock-and-bull (informal),
shonky (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
in the sense of guess
Definition
to arrive at a correct estimate of (something) by guessing
I can only guess what it cost her to tell you the truth.
Synonyms
estimate,
predict,
work out,
speculate,
fathom,
conjecture,
postulate,
surmise,
hazard a guess,
hypothesize
in the sense of hazard a guess
Definition
to make a guess
I would hazard a guess that they'll do fairly well.
Synonyms
guess,
conjecture,
suppose,
speculate,
presume,
take a guess
in the sense of mistrust
Definition
to have doubts or suspicions about
I mistrust all journalists.
Synonyms
be wary of,
suspect,
beware,
distrust,
apprehend,
have doubts about
in the sense of questionable
Definition
of disputable value or authority
The film is a comedy in highly questionable taste.
Synonyms
dubious,
suspect,
doubtful,
controversial,
uncertain,
suspicious,
dodgy (British, Australian, New Zealand, informal),
unreliable,
shady (informal),
debatable,
unproven,
fishy (informal),
moot,
arguable,
iffy (informal),
equivocal,
problematical,
disputable,
controvertible,
dubitable,
shonky (Australian, New Zealand, informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of speculate
Definition
to form opinions about something, esp. its future consequences, based on the information available
The reader can speculate about what will happen next.
Synonyms
conjecture,
consider,
wonder,
guess,
suppose,
contemplate,
deliberate,
muse,
meditate,
surmise,
theorize,
hypothesize,
cogitate
in the sense of suppose
Definition
to consider (something) as a possible suggestion for the sake of discussion
Where do you suppose he's got to?
Synonyms
imagine,
believe,
consider,
conclude,
fancy,
conceive,
conjecture,
postulate (formal),
hypothesize
in the sense of surmise
Definition
to guess (something) from incomplete or uncertain evidence
She surmised that they had discovered one of the illegal streets.