# suspect

/ˈsəsˌpɛkt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/suspect
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to believe without proof

verb · CEFR B1

to think that something is probably true or exists, even if you are not 100% sure.

For teachers: to suppose something to be true or likely based on intuition or incomplete evidence.

- I suspect that the train will be late because of the heavy snow.
- Economists suspect that the recent dip in consumer spending is a temporary reaction to the new tax laws rather than a long-term trend.

### 2. to believe someone is guilty

verb · CEFR B1

to think that someone has done something wrong or committed a crime.

For teachers: to believe someone to be guilty of a specific misdeed or crime without conclusive proof.

- The police suspect him of stealing the car last night.
- Although the internal auditors suspect the manager of embezzlement, they lack the forensic evidence required to bring formal charges.

### 3. a person under investigation

noun · CEFR B1

a person who the police think may have committed a crime.

For teachers: a person under consideration as the possible perpetrator of an offence.

- The police have arrested a suspect in connection with the robbery.
- The lead investigator interviewed three potential suspects, but all of them provided verifiable alibis for the night in question.

Usage: The stress is on the first syllable (SUS-pect) when used as a noun.

### 4. dishonest or unreliable

adjective · CEFR B2

something that you do not trust or that seems wrong or dangerous.

For teachers: of questionable truth, quality, or legality; inspiring distrust.

- The data in this report looks a bit suspect to me.
- The company's accounting practices were deemed suspect by the regulatory body, leading to a comprehensive federal investigation.

Usage: The stress is on the first syllable (SUS-pect) when used as an adjective.

## Examples

- The police are questioning a suspect in the robbery case.
- Detectives identified a primary suspect after reviewing security footage from the night of the break-in.
- While the evidence against the initial suspect appeared compelling, forensic analysis eventually cleared him of all charges and shifted the focus of the investigation elsewhere.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.