View synonyms for suspicion

suspicion

[ suh-spish-uhn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

act of suspecting.
the state of mind or feeling of one who suspects:
Suspicion kept him awake all night long.
Synonyms: misgiving, mistrust, doubt
an instance of suspecting something or someone.
state of being suspected:
under suspicion; above suspicion.
imagination of anything to be the case or to be likely; a vague notion of something.
a slight trace, hint, or suggestion:
a suspicion of a smile.

verb (used with object)

Nonstandard. to suspect.

suspicion

/ səˈspɪʃən /

noun

the act or an instance of suspecting; belief without sure proof, esp that something is wrong
the feeling of mistrust of a person who suspects
the state of being suspected
to be shielded from suspicion
a slight trace
above suspicion
in such a position that no guilt may be thought or implied, esp through having an unblemished reputation
on suspicion
as a suspect
under suspicion
regarded with distrust

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Derived Forms

susˈpicionless, adjective
susˈpicional, adjective

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Other Words From

presus·picion noun
self-sus·picion noun
super·sus·picion noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of suspicion¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin suspīciōn- (stem of suspīciō ), equivalent to suspīc- (variant stem of suspicere “to look from below, suspect” ) + -iōn- -ion; suspect

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Word History and Origins

Origin of suspicion¹

C14: from Old French sospeçon, from Latin suspīciō distrust, from suspicere to mistrust; see suspect

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Idioms and Phrases

see above suspicion .

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Synonym Study

Suspicion, distrust are terms for a feeling that appearances are not reliable. Suspicion is the positive tendency to doubt the trustworthiness of appearances and therefore to believe that one has detected possibilities of something unreliable, unfavorable, menacing, or the like: to feel suspicion about the honesty of a prominent man. Distrust may be a passive want of trust, faith, or reliance in a person or thing: to feel distrust of one's own ability.

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Example Sentences

Father Joel Román Salazar died in a car crash in 2013; his death was ruled an accident, but the suspicion of foul play persists.

From The Daily Beast

Those who served abroad were treated with suspicion that they had been infected by European diplomacy.

From The Daily Beast

In Romneyland, the super PAC is being met with real suspicion and skepticism.

From The Daily Beast

Sena might have felt insulated from suspicion in part because of his friendly relationship with local police.

From The Daily Beast

Suspicion has focused on the government of Qatar, which has strong ties to Nusra, as the source of the money.

From The Daily Beast

Any one may possess the portrait of a tragedian without exciting suspicion or comment.

From Project Gutenberg

He learned the series by heart without any suspicion that he was committing it to memory.

From Project Gutenberg

Hilda impetuously turned her head; their glances met for an instant, in suspicion, challenge, animosity.

From Project Gutenberg

She watched him, and suddenly a suspicion darted through her mind—a suspicion that he suspected them.

From Project Gutenberg

Doubt, suspicion, anger clouded vision; pain routed the impersonal conception.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

suspensory ligament suspicional

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