suspect

Pronunciation

adjective, noun

• enPR: sŭsʹpĕkt, IPA ^(key): /ˈsʌs.pɛkt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

verb

• enPR: səs.pĕktʹ, IPA ^(key): /səsˈpɛkt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form suspect

Third-person singular suspects

Past tense suspected

Past participle suspected

Present participle suspecting

1. (transitive) If you suspect something, you feel that something, often bad, is probably true.

   I suspect you've already erased the file, have you?

2. (transitive) If you suspect someone or something, you don't trust them, or you think something is their fault.

   The chemical is no longer used because it is suspected of causing cancer.

   Hassan strongly suspected that he had something to do with Wolfgang Klein's death.

Noun

Singular suspect

Plural suspects

1. (countable) A suspect is a person or thing who you believe committed a crime or caused something.

   He was the police's prime suspect in the crime.

Adjective

Positive suspect

Comparative more suspect

Superlative most suspect

1. If something is suspect, it is untrue, or likely to cause problems.

   Any claims to solve all the problems should be seen as deeply suspect.