verb

suspect

suh-SPEHKT

verb

To think that something is probably true, without having proof.

"I suspect she already knows the surprise."

"Police suspect the fire was started deliberately."

To believe someone is guilty of something, without firm evidence.

"Detectives suspected him from the very beginning."

noun

A person thought to be responsible for a crime.

"The suspect was taken in for questioning."

adj

Regarded with doubt or distrust; possibly not genuine or reliable.

"His alibi sounded suspect from the start."

How to Use Suspect

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo believe something is likely true (verb), a person thought to have committed a crime (noun), or doubtful/untrustworthy (adjective).

When to use it

Note the stress shift: the verb is stressed on the second syllable (suh-SPECT), the noun and adjective on the first (SUS-pect).

Common pairings

prime suspect suspect foul play a suspect motive

Word Forms

more suspect comparative, suspected past tense, suspects plural, suspects singular, most suspect superlative

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

I _____ she already knows the surprise.

Etymology

From Old French suspect, from Latin suspectus, the past participle of suspicere, "to look up at, mistrust" — from sub- ("under") plus specere ("to look").