alleged

alleged — adjective

1. used before a noun for a person, group, or act that people say was involved in s

1.形容詞B2
釋義

used before a noun for a person, group, or act that people say was involved in something wrong, when that claim has not been proved yet

例句

Police arrested the alleged attacker after the fight outside the station.

legal/news use: alleged + person linked to wrongdoing

The school suspended the alleged thief while staff checked the cameras.

同義詞
  • accused

    more direct and often stronger; it focuses on the formal charge or accusation itself

  • suspected

    emphasizes belief or suspicion, often from police, rather than a public claim

  • unproven

    highlights the lack of proof, not the act of making the accusation

反義詞
  • proven

    shown to be true with evidence or a court decision

  • cleared

    used when suspicion or accusation has been removed

文法句型

alleged + person/role linked to a crime or harmful act

用法筆記

Usually appears in reports about crime, complaints, or court cases. It lets the writer mention an accusation without treating the person or act as already proved.

常見錯誤

❌The man is alleged.
✅The alleged thief ran away.
💡In this adjective sense, alleged must come directly before the noun it modifies.
❌The alleged attacker is guilty.
✅The alleged attacker has not been proved guilty yet.
💡alleged marks an accusation, not a confirmed result.

2. used before a noun for something that has been presented as true or real, even t

2.形容詞B2
釋義

used before a noun for something that has been presented as true or real, even though nobody has shown clear proof for it

例句

The article described an alleged meeting between the two ministers.

alleged + event noun with no proof yet

Jiwoo showed us an alleged email from the director, but the date was missing.

同義詞
  • claimed

    more neutral; simply reports what someone says without the same formal tone

  • reported

    highlights that the information came from a source or report

  • purported

    more formal and often used when the truth or authenticity is doubtful

反義詞

文法句型

alleged + event/object/fact noun

用法筆記

Used when the speaker or writer is reporting a claim carefully rather than accepting it as fact. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about whether the claim itself is true, not about guilt for a bad act.

常見錯誤

❌The alleged meeting definitely happened.
✅The alleged meeting may have happened, but it is still unproven.
💡alleged keeps the information at the level of claim, not confirmed fact.

3. used before a noun when the speaker doubts that someone or something really dese

3.形容詞B2
釋義

used before a noun when the speaker doubts that someone or something really deserves that name, quality, or identity

例句

Lakshmi bought an alleged antique vase, but the paint looked fresh.

alleged + product label showing doubt about authenticity

The alleged expert could not fix a loose kitchen plug.

同義詞
  • so-called

    more openly dismissive or ironic than alleged

  • supposed

    more general and often less formal; it can show doubt without sounding as legalistic

  • purported

    formal and useful when the claimed quality or identity is uncertain

反義詞
  • genuine

    real and authentic, not doubtful or wrongly labelled

  • authentic

    accepted as the real thing rather than a questionable one

文法句型

alleged + title/quality/product noun

用法筆記

Often carries a skeptical or mocking tone. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense questions whether the label fits, rather than whether an event or claim happened.

常見錯誤

❌The necklace is alleged gold.
✅The alleged gold necklace turned green in a week.
💡In this sense, alleged belongs before the noun and shows doubt about the label.