alleged

1 of 2

adjective

al·​leged ə-ˈlejd How to pronounce alleged (audio) -ˈle-jəd How to pronounce alleged (audio)
Synonyms of alleged
1
: accused but not proven or convicted
an alleged burglar
2
: asserted to be true or to exist
an alleged miracle
an alleged conspiracy
3
: questionably true or of a specified kind : supposed, so-called
bought an alleged antique vase
allegedly
ə-ˈle-jəd-lē How to pronounce alleged (audio)
adverb
She allegedly stole the money. [=she is alleged to have stolen the money]

alleged

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of allege

Examples of alleged in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The charges stem from an alleged threat Duterte, 48, made during a 2024 online news conference. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026 The alleged holdout is believed to be one of the three male jurors. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026 The ads, some of which were run by Georgians for Integrity, a group that has dropped millions attacking Jones since 2025, used data centers as a bogeyman for Jones' alleged corruption. — Maham Javaid, NPR, 5 Sep. 2026 It’s based on the alleged hiring of Scarpa by the FBI during the civil-rights era, when he was twice brought to Mississippi to use certain interrogation techniques that were considered off the table for agents. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alleged

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of allege

First Known Use

Adjective

1509, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of alleged was in 1509

Rhymes for alleged

See All Rhymes for alleged

Browse Nearby Words

allegeable
alleged
allegement
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Alleged.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alleged. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Legal Definition

alleged

adjective
al·​leged ə-ˈlejd, -ˈle-jəd How to pronounce alleged (audio)
1
: asserted to be true
especially : stated in an allegation
alleged crimes
2
: accused but not yet proven or convicted
trial of alleged war criminals—R. G. Neumann

More from Merriam-Webster on alleged

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for alleged

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