suspicion

1 of 2

noun

sus·​pi·​cion sə-ˈspi-shən How to pronounce suspicion (audio)
Synonyms of suspicion
1
a
: the act or an instance of suspecting something wrong without proof or on slight evidence : mistrust
b
: a state of mental uneasiness and uncertainty : doubt
2
: a barely detectable amount : trace
just a suspicion of garlic

suspicion

2 of 2

verb

suspicioned; suspicioning sə-ˈspi-sh(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce suspicion (audio)

transitive verb

chiefly dialectal
: suspect

Synonyms of suspicion

Relevance

Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for suspicion

uncertainty, doubt, dubiety, skepticism, suspicion, mistrust mean lack of sureness about someone or something.

uncertainty may range from a falling short of certainty to an almost complete lack of conviction or knowledge especially about an outcome or result.

assumed the role of manager without hesitation or uncertainty

doubt suggests both uncertainty and inability to make a decision.

plagued by doubts as to what to do

dubiety stresses a wavering between conclusions.

felt some dubiety about its practicality

skepticism implies unwillingness to believe without conclusive evidence.

an economic forecast greeted with skepticism

suspicion stresses lack of faith in the truth, reality, fairness, or reliability of something or someone.

regarded the stranger with suspicion

mistrust implies a genuine doubt based upon suspicion.

had a great mistrust of doctors

Examples of suspicion in a Sentence

Noun There has long been a suspicion that the painting is a fake. I thought the water might be making us sick, and my suspicions were confirmed by the lab tests. The note aroused her suspicions that he was having an affair. I have a sneaking suspicion that those cookies aren't really homemade. The new policies are regarded by many with suspicion. His story has raised some suspicion. I have my suspicions about his motives. Verb no one will ever suspicion that I'm the one who pulled the prank
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Beijing assisted with a major upgrade of the base, and the United States has voiced its suspicions that China was granted special but secret privileges there. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026 According to the report, there was no suspicion that Russini was closer to Vrabel than anyone else. — Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 On Wednesday, Koval released a statement on her official Instagram page, confirming suspicions that her choice to walk away from the Tigers stemmed from Mulkey acquiring 17-year-old Russian center Anna Minaeva. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Entry denials have risen sharply over the past year and for reasons that did not constitute grounds for denial previously, including suspicions of anti-Israel views, say Israeli lawyers who represent travelers who were denied entry. — Daniel Estrin, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for suspicion

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English suspecioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin suspicion-, suspicio, from suspicere to suspect — more at suspect

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1637, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of suspicion was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing suspicion

Rhymes for suspicion

See All Rhymes for suspicion

Browse Nearby Words

suspensory ligament
suspicion
suspicional
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Suspicion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suspicion. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

suspicion

1 of 2 noun
sus·​pi·​cion sə-ˈspish-ən How to pronounce suspicion (audio)
1
: the act or an instance of suspecting or being suspected
2
: a feeling that something is wrong without definite evidence
3
: a small amount

suspicion

2 of 2 verb
suspicioned; suspicioning -ˈspish-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce suspicion (audio)
chiefly substandard
: suspect entry 3

Legal Definition

suspicion

noun
sus·​pi·​cion
: the act or an instance of suspecting something : a mental state usually short of belief in which one entertains a notion that something is wrong or that a fact exists without proof or on slight evidence see also reasonable suspicion
suspicionless adjective
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