Charles Anderson
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ALLEGED definition: 1. said or thought by some people to be the stated bad or illegal thing, although you have no…. Learn more.
The meaning of ALLEGED is accused but not proven or convicted. How to use alleged in a sentence.
to say that someone has done something illegal or wrong without giving proof: [ + (that) ] The two men allege (that) the police forced them to make false confessions. [ + to infinitive ] She is alleged to have been at the centre of an international drug ring.
Sometimes, alleged is used to mean doubtful or supposed in a way that’s intended to indicate skepticism about something, as in The alleged genius can’t even run a small company. Example: The alleged crime took place when my client was half a state away.
said or thought by some people to be the stated bad or illegal thing, although you have no proof: It took 15 years for the alleged criminals (= people thought to be criminals) to prove their innocence. Fewer examples. Several alleged drug lords will be put on trial.
These days, someone alleges something before presenting evidence to prove it (or perhaps without evidence at all). But the word allege comes directly from the Middle English verb alleggen, meaning "to submit (something) in evidence or as justification."
The word alleged is often used in connection with court cases, because the accused is innocent until proven guilty: an alleged robber is a suspected robber but has not been proven guilty of robbery. Journalists often use alleged in news stories when someone’s guilt is suspected but not confirmed.
Definition of alleged adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Definition of allege verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Using the word alleged allows journalists to talk about allegations without seeming to presume guilt (and getting sued for libel). Example: Investigators are alleging that Mr. Jones stole from the company over a period of 15 years.
