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suspicion Definition

sus·pi·cion (sə spis̸h′ən)

noun

  1. the act or an instance of suspecting guilt, a wrong, harmfulness, etc. with little or no supporting evidence
  2. the feeling or state of mind of a person who suspects
  3. a very small amount or degree; suggestion; inkling; trace

Etymology: ME suspecion < Anglo-Fr suspecioun < OFr sospeçon < LL suspectio, orig., a looking up to, esteeming, later with sense and sp. of L suspicio, suspicion < L suspectus, pp. of suspicere, to look up at, admire, look secretly at, mistrust, suspect

transitive verb

Informal, Dialectal to suspect

suspicion Idioms

above suspicion

not to be suspected; honorable

on suspicion

on the basis of suspicion; because suspected

under suspicion

suspected

suspicion Synonyms

suspicion

n.

misgiving, mistrust, surmise; see doubt 1.

above suspicion

honorable, cleared, gentlemanly; see honest 1, innocent 1, 4, noble 1, 2.

under suspicion

suspected, under a cloud of suspicion, suspect; see questionable 1, 2, suspicious 2.

suspicion Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • laundering: He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of money laundering.
  • bribery: Random audits may throw up evidence or suspicions of bribery that the ECGD may not discover otherwise.
  • conspiracy: Two men were held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.
  • murder: When I heard Mr Jenkins had been arrested on suspicion of murder, the shock was profound.
  • arson: In 2000 I was arrested on suspicion of arson, which I was later found not guilty of.
  • incitement: An Indymedia volunteer was also arrested during the raid on suspicion of incitement to criminal damage.

Preposition: that

person: No suspicion that the person or vehicle has weapons is required.

Converse of object

  • arouse: To auto cheap florida insurance arouse suspicions average premiums rose.
  • sneak: I have a sneaking suspicion she would have been up for all three!
  • allay: He had to pretend to be drunk in order to allay the suspicions which might have been aroused by his appearance at the gate.
  • linger: A series of investigations into his death has left many questions unanswered and lingering suspicions that the full truth has yet to emerge.
  • dispel: To dispel the suspicions which infected the subject, it was necessary to repeat the experiment in every large capital.
  • confirm: At 32 weeks, I tried to confirm this suspicion with my midwife.

Adjective modifier

  • nagging: However, I had a nagging suspicion that the remedies I was using were dealing with symptoms and not causes.
  • sneaky: He is pushing 40 and I have a sneaky suspicion that the party is for his wife's 40.
  • mutual: The Kyoto fiasco has left us in a similar state of mutual suspicion.
  • reasonable: Any concerns or reasonable suspicions of abuse should be reported to line management.
  • uneasy: As he checked the settings, an uneasy suspicion formed in his mind as to what the console might be doing.
  • shrewd: What Scotland has I want, tho I have a shrewd suspicion that the forthcoming government White Paper will give us much less.

Preposition: in

mind: The ship's frequent alterations of course deepened suspicions in the minds of those on Devonshire's bridge.