Prosecutors in court have to substantiate their claims in order to prove a suspect is guilty.
Source: tatoeba (1956)
Suspect
/səˈspɛkt/
Synonyms for "suspect" (234 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (47)
Strong matches (70)
discrediteddisputabledisputedisputeddistrustdivinedoubtdoubtabledoubteddoubtfuldreamdubiousdubitableequivocalesteemestimateexpectexplodedfancyfear
Show 28 more words
feelgathergrantgreet with skepticismguesshalf believeharbor suspicionshard of beliefhard to believehave a feelinghave a hunchhave an ideahave an impressionhave an inklinghave reservationshave the ideaholdhold asiffyimagineimplausibleimplicatein disputein doubtin dubioin questioninconceivableincredible
Adjective(8 words)
Verb(2 words)
Related words (117)
Noun(17 words)
incriminatelikelylikely suspectmalfeasantperson of interestpotential offenderpresumeprobableproblematic patternquestionableseneshopliftersupposesuspiciousunreliable datavagrantwonders
inferjudgeletlet belibeleelook upon asmaintainmisdoubtmisgivemistakablemistrustmistrustedmootnot deserving beliefnot to be believedopenopen to doubtopen to questionopen to suspicionopine
Show 68 more words
passing beliefprefigurepreposterouspresumepresupposepresurmiseprisonerproblematicproblematicalprovisionally acceptqueerqueryquestionquestionablequestionedraise a questionreckonrefutableregardreputerespondentridiculoussayscruplesenseset down asshadowyshadyshakysmell a ratspeculativestaggering beliefsupposesuppositionalsurmisesuspectedsuspicionsuspicioustaketake fortake for grantedtake ittake to betake with a grain of salttalltheorizethickthinthinkthrow doubt upontreat with reservetrowunbelievableuncertainunclearunconvincingunder a cloudunder suspicionunderstandunearthlyuneasyungodlyunimaginableunstableunthinkableunworthy of beliefview asween
Adjective(8 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: a bit thick, a bit thin, absurd, account as, accuse.
- Sentence evidence is available for suspect, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "suspect".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "suspect"
Keep "suspect" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "suspect" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "suspect", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "suspect" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
22 entriesShowing 16 of 22 words.
More specific
15 entriesCollocations
16 entriesbaseless suspiciongrowing suspicionleading suspectlikely suspectmain suspectprime suspectreasonable suspicionstrong suspicionsuspect activitysuspect datasuspect lineupsuspect listsuspect packagesuspect reportsuspect sourceunfounded suspicion
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
4 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
23 total sentences available.
The witnesses were able to refute the false testimony of the suspect.
Source: tatoeba (1973)
We all suspect him of murder.
Source: tatoeba (23128)
Doctors suspect smoking has lot to do with cancer.
Source: tatoeba (27990)
Showing 4 of 23 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "suspect"?
Closest matches include a bit thick, a bit thin, absurd, account as, accuse.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "suspect"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.