Word
allege
Phoneticsal·lege, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈɫɛdʒ/
UK/ɐlˈɛdʒ/
Definition
v. to say that someone did something wrong or illegal without having proof yet. You use this when a claim is serious but not yet decided by a court.
v. to assert that someone has committed an illegal or wrong act, typically without offering proof. Transitive; often used in legal or journalistic contexts to avoid libel before a verdict is reached.
Examples
“The neighbors allege that he stole the bicycle.”
“The lawsuit continues to allege that the company knowingly ignored safety warnings before the accident occurred.”
“While the prosecution may allege that the defendant acted with premeditation, they must still provide physical evidence to convince the jury beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Examples
simple
“The neighbors allege that he stole the bicycle.”
contextual
“The lawsuit continues to allege that the company knowingly ignored safety warnings before the accident occurred.”
complex
“While the prosecution may allege that the defendant acted with premeditation, they must still provide physical evidence to convince the jury beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “allege” in context.
Verb
01. allege misconduct
“Several former employees have come forward to allege misconduct within the company.”
verb + noun
02. allege that
“The prosecution will allege that the defendant planned the robbery for months.”
verb + that-clause
Noun
03. allege a violation
“The report went so far as to allege a violation of international human rights law.”
verb + noun
Adverb
04. falsely allege
“The politician claimed that his rivals had falsely alleged he was involved in the scandal.”
adv + verb
05. specifically allege
“The lawsuit does not specifically allege any physical harm, only financial loss.”
adv + verb
Usage
The verb is transitive and often takes a 'that' clause or an infinitive phrase.
Pitfall
They allege him of the crime
They allege that he committed the crime
Allege is not followed by 'of'; it requires a 'that' clause or a direct object representing the claim.
Real-World Examples
“He also alleges that stone taken from his land was registered under a settler’s name and resold.” “Authorities allege Arjun killed his mother, 45-year-old Sudha Venkatesan, and his 14-year-old brother, Siddharth Aravind, inside the family’s home on Tuesday.” “We do not take over the park, as she alleges, rather we recognise that we share the space with other park users and are respectful of their rights and needs.” Etymology
From Middle English aleggen, perhaps from Old French alleguer, or from Anglo-Norman aleger, the form perhaps from Old French esligier (“to acquit”), from Medieval Latin *exlītigāre (“to clear at law”), from Latin ex (“out”) + lītigō (“sue at law”), but the meaning from Old French alleguer, from Latin allēgāre (“send on a mission, depute; relate, mention, adduce”), from ad (“to”) + lēgō (“send”).
From Middle English alleggen, from Old French alegier, from Latin alleviāre (“lighten”), from ad + levis (“light”). Doublet of alleviate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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